Carrows Hires Bay Area Ad Firm

Carrows restaurants in Irvine has hired a San Francisco advertising agency to help the struggling chain update its image.

The agency, JWT West, already handles campaigns for Carrows’ sister chain, Coco’s. The agency replaces the Los Angeles firm of Kovel/Fuller, which handled Carrows business for the last three years.

JWT’s first advertising efforts for Carrows are expected to begin appearing by early April. Previously, the agency has handled campaigns for such chains as Burger King and Denny’s.

Craig Bushey, president of the Carrows and Coco’s chains, said JWT was awarded the account because of its successful track record and “out-of-the-box creative and strategic thinking.”

Carrows, owned by Advantica Restaurant Group Inc. in Spartanburg, S.C., upgraded its restaurants earlier this year with new outdoor signs and a refurbished interior. It owns 122 restaurants and franchisees have 26 others.

JWT is part of J. Walter Thompson, the fourth largest advertising agency in the world and the second largest in North America.