Thesis

Executive Summary
Hennessey’s Tavern Inc. is a restaurant group headquartered in Redondo Beach,
California. Hennessey’s Tavern Inc. represents several restaurants, located throughout
Southern California and Las Vegas, all owned by Paul Hennessy.
Paul Hennessey founded the first Hennessey’s Tavern, an Irish themed pub, in 1976 in
Hermosa Beach, California. Since then the former Wall Street stock trader has grown his
company to include 16 different restaurants; 10 Hennessey’s Taverns, one H.T. Grill
location, the Lighthouse Café jazz club, one “beachy casual” Mickie Finnz & The Fish
Bucket operation, one new modern concept bar called Rebel Republic, one Wine Bistro
location and a live music venue at the Las Vegas Country Saloon.
Thirteen of these restaurants are located in Southern California and three are located in
downtown Las Vegas.
For the last 10 years, the Hennessey’s Tavern business has experienced revenue growth
of approximately 8 percent each year. The most successful locations are Hermosa
Beach, Las Vegas and Dana Point.
To help Hennessey’s Tavern Inc. improve its online and social media presence, best
practices within the restaurant industry were explored, and campaign was created to
help refresh the overall Hennessey’s Tavern brand.
This campaign focuses primarily on the 10 Hennessey’s Tavern-branded locations
because they represent the majority of the company’s restaurant concepts and they
have the greatest combined brand presence online.
Objectives, strategies and tactics based upon findings from secondary research and
feedback from interviews with different Hennessey’s Tavern managers and the current
marketing head at Hennessey’s Tavern Inc. were used to guide this campaign.
Hennessey’s Tavern Inc. will be provided with the following tools for improving its
current social media and online presence: social media best practices plan, a new
website and examples of more effective social media posts on various platforms.
By implementing this campaign and utilizing its deliverables, Hennessey’s Tavern Inc.
will be successful in refreshing and expanding its brand and social reach online.
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