THE FRENCH CULINARY INSTITUTE

Almost overnight, the culinary world became the “it” industry. Now, top chefs are worshiped like rock stars and it’s a career with paths to fame. So, it’s no surprise that aspiring cooks are looking for the perfect school to launch their careers. In this fiercely competitive field, The French Culinary Institute has a reputation as the country’s premiere training ground for the world’s best chefs, yet they were losing ground to newer competitors. Our analysis? Branding, messaging and merchandising that were in culinary terms, “more tofu than jalapeño.” So we overhauled their brand and all their communications, infusing it with energy, youth, vitality and a little bit of attitude. The result? Response rates and interest in the school that broke all previous records.