STRATEGIC PARTNERS
May 2, 2013
Genghis Grill's 60-day weight loss contest, HealthKwest, is over, and Steve Ellis of Albuquerque, N.M., was the winner of the $10,000-first prize. He lost 30 percent of his body weight, according to a company press release.
Ellis and the other 99 contestants dedicated themselves for 60 days by eating Genghis Grill's healthier meal options every day, for free and for a chance to win $10,000. They shared their journey online by completing social media tasks. The public also participated in the journey at www.genghisgrill.com/healthkwest, where they were able to see how each contestant ranked.
Ellis walked 8 miles a day to and from his house to his Genghis Grill in Uptown Albuquerque and maintained a strict low-calorie diet with few starches and no sauces in his bowls. For 60 days straight, Ellis was the first customer upon opening.
"I loved eating at Genghis Grill everyday. One of the frustrating things about most diets is the food gets pretty mundane. Genghis Grill features 80 fresh ingredients and thousands of different options for your bowl, all fresh and healthy," said Ellis. "I loved doing all of the daily social media tasks during HealthKwest."
Sixty of the 100 contestants finished the Health Kwest and lost a total of 2,217 pounds and averaged a 5-percent weight loss as a group.
The campaign generated more than 900 blogs and Twitter posts, 600 YouTube videos and more than 400 Instagram photos. Genghis Grill also saw an increase in more than 5,000 likes on its Facebook Page, helping the brand reach its 100,000 fans milestone.
"We wanted to show that you can have a great restaurant experience while eating responsibly," said Chiara Granado, social media/PR marketing manager of Genghis Grill. "Health Kwest was a campaign that encompassed social media and adopting a healthier lifestyle, so eating healthy while having that accountability was huge, it made the contest exciting."
Dallas-based Fancorps provided the technology that organized and managed the social media aspect of Health Kwest. Contestants logged in on Fancorps' platform uploading daily proofs of their tasks.
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