Ruby Tuesday
Overview: For this project, we conducted an in-depth discussion with Ruby Tuesday’s Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) to analyze the factors contributing to the brand’s decrease in customer visits and overall market performance. Our team was tasked with developing both local and national marketing campaigns aimed at reengaging consumers and attracting the 18–24 age demographic back into Ruby Tuesday locations.
Problem: Ruby Tuesday faced declining foot traffic, which they described as a lack of “butts in seats.” Visitor numbers, sales, and overall revenue were lower compared to competitors, and the brand struggled to attract diners into its restaurants. A key challenge was awareness: many consumers were unaware that Ruby Tuesday locations were still open and operating.
Solution: We repositioned Ruby Tuesday as a fun, affordable, and social dining destination. By modernizing the brand’s identity, both campaigns were designed to resonate with Generation Z values and behaviors, using primary & secondary insights to reintroduce the brand and drive in-restaurant visits.
Term: Fall 2025
Role: Production (National Campaign)
Ruby Tuesday x Toy Story 5 Collaboration
Why: Our team proposed a strategic brand collaboration between Ruby Tuesday and a feature film, inspired by successful food-and-movie partnerships such as Chili’s Wicked collaboration. After extensive brainstorming and audience analysis, we selected Toy Story as the ideal partner. The film strongly resonates with Generation Z through nostalgia, making it a powerful vehicle for emotional connection. This collaboration positions Ruby Tuesday as a brand that embraces fun, understands its audience, and is willing to engage consumers through culturally relevant experiences, ultimately increasing brand awareness and in-restaurant traffic.
Graphic Description: The promotional graphic was heavily inspired by notable food x movie collaborations, including Wicked, Barbie, SpongeBob, and Five Nights at Freddy’s. The featured drinks were designed using distinct, recognizable color palettes tied to the characters Woody and Buzz Lightyear, along with their signature accessories: Woody’s cowboy hat and Buzz’s wings, to ensure instant character recognition. Highlighting the copy, I've emphasized that the offering is available for a limited time and exclusively at Ruby Tuesday. This approach reinforces Limited-Time Offer (LTO) and scarcity marketing strategies, creating urgency and a sense of FOMO that encourages consumers to visit the restaurant as soon as possible.
Ruby Tuesday's Mascot: Rubina
Mascot Concept: Throughout our campaign research, our team identified an opportunity for Ruby Tuesday to introduce a recognizable brand mascot, one that audiences could easily relate to and associate with the restaurant. Creating a distinct character would help strengthen Ruby Tuesday’s brand identity and improve recall in a crowded, competitive dining market.
Inspired by iconic brand mascots such as Progressive’s Flo, Wendy’s girl, Jake from State Farm, Ronald McDonald, and Colonel Sanders, we revisited Ruby Tuesday’s own branding. Our team aligned on Rubina, Ruby Tuesday’s 1950s-inspired vintage character. With her signature ginger bob and mini purse featuring a Ruby Tuesday key charm, Rubina embodies the brand’s personality while showcasing its offerings in a playful, memorable way. Reintroducing Rubina modernizes the brand while maintaining familiarity, helping Ruby Tuesday stand out and build a stronger emotional connection with consumers.
Final Version
Draft
This is my personal digital draw version of Rubina, made on Ibis Paint X. She was intended to heavily rely on the Ruby Tuesday brand.
This is the final version of Rubina Tuesday made together with the other productionists of the National Campaign. This was a much cleaner, presentable, and public-friendly visual of Ruby Tuesday's mascot. Body made in Illustrator, and features and accessories made in Ibis Paint X.
Ruby Tuesday x ColourPop
The Colourpop x Ruby Tuesday collaboration is intended to be released for Halloween, tying with the Rubina Tuesday persona. This collaboration will contain the "Get Her Look!" slogan for consumers to try Rubina's signature makeup style, further pushing the strong Ruby Tuesday identity.
