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With clients across the nation in a variety of industries, you never know who The Mac Groups will be working with next!
WALBURGERS CASE STUDY
Sean and team TMG served 9 years as the Director of Social Media & Digital Marketing for Boston-based Wahlburgers, the high-end burger bar chain owned by chef Paul Wahlberg in partnership with two of his brothers, actors Donnie and Mark.
More so, TMG accomplished this feat while never once leveraging the celebrity owner’s skyrocketing fame. Designing the restaurant’s website, social media profiles and creative online marketing concepts, by solely showcasing Wahlburgers’ food, drinks, atmosphere and dining experience, The Mac Groups achieved numerous awards and accolades:
- Zagat’s “Highest Rated Burger Concept”
- Bon Appetit’s “Last Meal on Earth” by Steve Carell
- “Best Restaurant Facebook Page” Massachusetts
- Boston Magazine’s Battle of the Burger – 1st place 2015, 2016 + 2017
- 2014 Hot Casual: “Hot 100 Fastest Mover”
- Metro-Boston 2013 National Restaurant Association: “Most Buzzed About Brands”
From inception, The Mac Groups worked hand-in-hand with the celebrity owners in architecting the brothers’ entire web platform, long before A&E’s Emmy-nominated Wahlburgers #1 reality television series.
Building Wahlburgers’ branding & media kits, social media profiles, engaging creative, marketing guidelines and other original revenue-driving online content through a combination of off-page and on-page initiatives, TMG’s expertise ultimately produce
- 287,000 Facebook fans – and still growing!
- 135K+ Twitter followers
- 200+ franchise locations internationally
- ‘Deregulation’ of Wahlburgers’ social media accounts nationally – departing from the tired “One voice fits all…” corporate paradigm and growing a diversity of voices for each individual restaurant (even future locations).
- Grew Wahlburgers’ organic search presence, securing 1st page Google search results – ranking the restaurant #1 locally for “burgers” + “best burger restaurant.”
SIT OR SCALE? ARE YOU READY?
The Mac Groups, Inc. (TMG) proved instrumental in scaling Wahlburgers’ high-end burger bar chain for franchising opportunity – from its original location in Hingham, Massachusetts, to now a $100M+ brand with 27 locations in three countries & two continents!
Team TMG worked side-by-side with Chef-Owner Paul Wahlberg, in partnership with his celebrity/actor brothers, Donnie & Mark, to identify an original growth strategy and build digital franchising framework – social & digital assets scalable for over 200 additional signed development opportunities internationally.
TMG’s engaging and original digital marketing concepts were critical in attracting new investors, showcasing franchise ROI and elevating brand visibility. This included scalable food truck + merchandising programs, further solidifying crucial franchising revenue-drivers.
The Wahlburgers experience informed Sean’s work as an educator for SUNY UB’s, Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL). TMG continues to mentor entrepreneurs, community & business leaders and the next generation of startup disruptors – architecting and developing alternative economic model strategies and expansive revenue stream opportunities – guaranteeing continued market diversification, sustainable income platforms and much amplified return on investment.
Talk to TMG about franchising your business, launching your new product or service, national branding & distribution – or whatever your great idea. It only takes one!
NOTABLE PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
- Built social & digital platforms required to support both corporate and franchise stores
- Social Media & Digital Marketing Director for 6 years
- Designed & built the current Wahlburgers website: www.wahlburgersrestaurant.com
- Launched Wahlburgers e-commerce storefront
- Built the branding guideline book for Wahlburgers
- Created social & digital media branding guideline resource book
- Created franchising guidelines template
- Assisted in securing 200+ signed franchising agreements
- Helped secure over 30 signed franchise holders
- Launched campaigns on behalf of Corporate to assist individual franchise holders
- Worked closely with each franchise holder in execution of revenue-driving campaigns
- Designed, created, launched & posted over 250,000 pieces of original content distributed through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
- Monitored and maintained overall Wahlburgers brand across multiple platforms
- Launched digital press releases
- Optimized performance of original Wahlberg restaurant with Chef-Owner Paul Wahlberg, Mediterranean fine dining concept Alma Nove
- Responded to Yelp reviews as Paul Wahlberg for original Boston locations – protecting the burger, the brothers, brand cachet and longevity
- Protected each franchise holder, posting responses on their behalf on consumer review sites (Yelp, TripAdvisor and similar)
- National Restaurant Association “Most Buzzed About Brands” – Metro Boston 2014, 2016 + 2017
- “Hot 100 Fastest Mover” (75th to 19th) – Fast Casual
- 2018 MRA Limited Service Restaurant of the Year
- Technomic 2018 #3 Fastest Growing Brand in America
- “Best New Restaurant, South Shore” – Boston Magazine
- “Highest Rated Burger Concept” – Zagat
- “Best Milkshake (Adult Frappe)” – Boston Globe
- Steve Carell: “Last Meal on Earth” – Bon Appetit
- “Best Unstructured Reality Series” Wahlburgers A&E Reality Show (2X Emmy-nominated)
- Alma Nove: “Best Waterfront Restaurant in New England” – Yankee Magazine
- Alma Nove: “Best Restaurant, South Shore Boston” – Improper Bostonian
- Alma Nove: “Best New Restaurant, South Shore” – Boston Magazine
When American football wide receiver Sammy Watkins was looking to leverage his rapidly growing brand cachet, he partnered with The Mac Groups to explore and develop potential long-term revenue stream opportunities, ensuring income stability and driving brand loyalty.
Drawing inspiration from Watkin’s passions, TMG crafted a go-to-market merchandise launch, utilizing social media platforms and digital marketing to pioneer a subscription-style business venture.
