Applebee's has served global PR duties to Cohn & Wolfe, following a competitive pitch.
The fast casual chain, owned by DineEquity, is in the midst of a $75M marketing overhaul, rebrand and menu and restaurant revamp in a bid to spur revenue. The includes introducing wood-fired grills and USDA Choice steaks.
C&W's Los Angeles and Austin offices will lead the account under the direction of US entertainment marketing chief and Austin managing director Callie Jernigan.
The work includes consumer, corporate and franchisee communications, as well as corporate communications support for DineEquity as it pertains to Applebee's. There was no incumbent since late 2014, when the company split with Crossroads.
DineEquity also owns the IHOP franchise. The company reported Applebee's sales fell 3.7% during the fiscal first quarter of 2016, while IHOP sales ticked up 1.5%. Total revenues topped $163.5M for the period.
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