All these points were clearly defined in an announcement bulletin, and $15,000 in prizes were offered to the top waitresses of the nation. The first prize was worth more than $1,000, and included $200 in cash, a complete wardrobe, an all-expense trip to Chicago to the National Restaurant Convention, and an all-expense trip to Hollywood to appear on the coast-to-coast Art Linkletter Radio and TV Show.
The title of the contest was "Miss Good Morning" (The Nation's Best Waitress). Any waitress who served breakfast could enter.
A full-scale publicity project to reach waitresses and restaurant managers used these media:
This publicity project was supported by Kellogg's Sales Representatives in daily touch with restaurant managers and buyers.
A "wait-off" was planned as a special feature of the National Restaurant Convention in Chicago. Four national finalists, previously selected, were to compete in the "wait-off." Actual working conditions were to be established, and a board of judges from the National Restaurant Association was to choose the winner.
Although the Kellogg Company had been promoting "The Better Breakfast Cereal" menu, a new name needed to be developed so that national attention could be brought to this project. The name was "America's Quick 'K' Breakfast." The breakfast was to be featured on menus used by leading restaurants, hotels, etc. It was to be promoted as part of this over-all plan.
With a name established, the various publicity outlets available to the announcement of this project were to be used.
This newly named breakfast was featured at the Kellogg booth of the National Restaurant Convention at Navy Pier, Chicago. The breakfast was featured in all consumer outlets.
A recipe service was set up and made available to all restaurants who were members of local, regional, and national restaurant associations. This recipe service included:
Bi-monthly mailings of large-quantity recipes suggesting the use of Kellogg Cereals, photographs illustrating these recipes, press material for local use on the Miss Good Morning Contest, and material on the Quick "K" Breakfasts.
Many tie-ins during the year were establised with the National Restaurant Association. The National Restaurant Association acted as co-sponsor of the Miss Good Morning Contest. Exhibit space was taken by the Kellogg Company at the NRA Convention to feature the Miss Good Morning Contest and also the Quick "K" Breakfast. A tie-in was arranged for National Restaurant Month. A waitress-training booklet was sent to all members of the many restaurant associations.
As planned, "Miss Good Morning" was selected at the National Restaurant Show in Chicago. Four national finalists competed at a "wait-off." Mrs. Fay Badal of the famous Henrici's Restaurant in Chicago, was crowned "Miss Good Morning" for the year.
Members of the working press and of radio and TV were invited to the "wait-off." Many stories ran in local papers and were syndicated across the country. Special stories were sent to all wire services. Releases announcing the winner were prepared and sent to newspapers, restaurant and grocery trade publications, and to business and merchandising columns of newspapers.
News films taken by CBS-TV cameramen at the "wait-off" were distributed all over the world.
The winner was interviewed on many local and coast-to-coast radio and TV shows. The publicity material appearing in newspapers, trade papers, and on radio and television proved the worth of the contest to the waitress, the restaurant manager, and to the public.
But the real results from the "Miss Good Morning" Contest were appreciated when letters from restaurant operators began to come in, telling of the effects the contest had on the operation of their restaurants. Comments received proved the concrete worth of the promotion. First, it was reported check averages were higher-particularly at breakfast. Waitresses were amazed at the number of items they could sell for breakfast in addition to the usual cup of coffee. (This had a direct effect on Kellogg's sales to restaurants.)
For many waitresses, this new idea of being a food saleswoman made the job more fun. It took waiting on customers out of the usual menial routine.
The contest created enthusiasm that was felt throughout the organization, one operator reported. This enthusiasm was carried to the point where customers commented on the wonderful attitude of employes. (Good will on the part of customers for a restaurant resulted in good will for Kellogg's on the part of the operator since the customer reaction was attributed to the "Miss Good Morning" Contest.)
A feeling of cooperation, but at the same time friendly competitiveness among employes developed.
Restaurant operators used the contest as a means of securing local publicity. Arrangements were made for personal appearances of local waitresses on radio and television shows. Newspapers were contacted and stories run on local winners.
The Quick "K" Breakfast was developed and publicized both on the consumer and restaurant-operators level. Three mats, released to over 5,000 weeklies and small dailies, were written calling attention to the Quick "K" Breakfast. All timed to coincide with the season of the year when restaurant business is at a peak.
Mention of the Quick "K" Breakfast was incorporated in radio and television scripts, and mailed to over 3,000 commentators across the country.
Glossy photographs were planned around the Quick "K" Breakfast menu and sent to large metropolitan papers.
Trade stories on the Quick "K" Breakfast were planned for restaurant trade publications and were also sent direct to restaurant operators.
The Quick "K" Breakfast was featured at the Kellogg Booth at the National Restaurant Show. Menu clip-ons featuring the Quick "K" Breakfast were sent to restaurants all over the country.
The "Large Quantity Recipe Service" instituted to encourage the use of Kellogg's cereals as ingredients in recipes became a huge success. Operators have written saying the service filled a needed vacancy in the restaurant industry. Many Restaurant Associations regularly requested copies of the recipes in quantities as large as 1,000 each month.
Photographs have been used as "clip-ons" for menus; have appeared in leading restaurant trade publications and have been tacked up on bulletin boards to serve as inspiration for chefs and as window displays.
Tie-ins developed with the National Restaurant Association and individual restaurants have been most successful.
All this publicity, on a local level, created interest in the individual restaurant. This pleased the operator, in turn creating more good will for Kellogg's.
To further prove the enthusiasm the contest generated on the part of the restaurant operator, letters were received telling of extra prizes offered to contestants by the owner of the restaurant. One operator offered an extra day off to the waitress with the highest score each week. Another provided a night on the town at his expense. Some operators used the contest as a way to judge merit raises-or extra vacation time, or a bonus.
And as for the client's reaction-this was one contest that was to be repeated. The manager of the Institutional Division of the Kellogg Company, said at the National Sales Meeting in Miami:
"The 'Miss Good Morning' Contest accomplished a number of objectives but the most important advantage was that the contest helped to increase Kellogg's sales to the restaurant industry. This was accomplished by offering the restaurant operator a method of helping him overcome one of his biggest problems-waitress training. This waitress training helped waitresses to improve their sales ability, thereby selling more and higher profit items. The result was more profit and increased sales for both the restaurant and Kel-logg's. Our gains were largest during this period.
