Integrated Advertising, Promotion and Marketing Communications 5th Edition by Kenneth Clow,Donald Baack

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Olive Garden: Meet the Girls Next Door
Public relations challenges come in many forms, some expected and others that could never be imagined. The Olive Garden has developed a strong brand and corporate image focused on family, friends, and fun. The company was launched as a subsidiary of General Mills as an entry into the casual Italian restaurant marketplace. The initial success and growth led to a spin-off, and Darden Restaurants has directed the chain since the early 1990s.
Olive Garden restaurants are distinctive, featuring a casual Italian decor. The menus have been upgraded to move beyond more basic dishes to include items such as Mediterranean Garlic Shrimp and Capellini Pomodoro. Chefs continue to look for ways to treat regular customers to new and exciting dishes to accompany old favorites. All the while, endless bowls of salad and servings of breadsticks, along with tasty servings of soup, are part of the regular fare.
The wholesome family atmosphere projected in the Olive Garden's marketing communications includes the term "Hospitalino," which suggests the commitment to a warm, comfortable environment for dining. Commercials and advertisements carrying the tagline "When you're here, you're family" have helped Olive Garden establish a strong brand presence in a highly competitive marketplace.
The Girls Next Door has become a popular television program on E! Entertainment Television. The show features three beautiful young women who live in Hugh Hefner's exotic Playboy Mansion. In 2008, over 1.4 million viewers watched the antics of the young women in various stages of dress and settings. One of the three, Kendra Wilkinson happens to be a genuine fan of the Olive Garden. During one program, she mentioned how much she loved the artichoke dip and breadsticks. She quickly became known as practically a "new spokesperson" for the company.
Without question, Kendra's affection for the Olive Garden was sincere. As she noted, "I love the Olive Garden, because I grew up going there. That used to be the place we would go for Mother's Day, for birthdays. My grandpa just died, and right after his funeral, we went to the Olive Garden." She pointed out when asked that she received no compensation for mentioning the restaurant on The Girls Next Door.
Ms. Wilkinson did, however, convince Hefner to create a contest. Women were invited to compete for a chance to become one of the "Sexiest Girls of Olive Garden." The winner was to receive a Playboy photo shoot conducted by Kendra Wilkinson for an upcoming edition of the magazine.
Olive Garden's management and marketing team faced a dilemma. On the one hand, a surprising overlap exists between the types of individuals who dine at the Olive Garden and those who watch The Girls Next Door. Many are college educated, affluent, and enjoy upscale dining. More women watch the television program than men, and more women dine at the Olive Garden than men.
At the other extreme, protests have been lodged against the television show. The Florida Family Association had encouraged advertisers to stop buying spots for the show. Playboy has long been a source of controversy in the United States.

The Olive Garden has communicated an image of being a "wholesome family restaurant."
From the Olive Garden's perspective, the publicity generated by the linkage between the two organizations could have been viewed as a blessing or a curse. At first, the company did not make official statements about the contest. Undoubtedly, the marketing and public relations teams believed the company was navigating through some very choppy waters.36
1. Who are Olive Garden's internal and external stakeholders that have been affected by this turn of events
2. For casual observers of media, would the "Sexiest Girls of Olive Garden" appear to be a sponsorship
3. Is this event an instance in which damage-control programs were in order If so, which one(s)
4. Kendra Wilkinson said she believed Olive Garden could afford to appear to be a little "edgy" without detracting from its family-friendly brand. Do you agree or disagree Why
5. If you were the public relations agency for the Olive Garden, how would you handle this situation What steps would you take and what tactics would you use to ensure Olive Garden's image is not adversely affected.