Check out this magazine online at · 10 p.m. and it was only 9:35 p.m., so we walked in. We were informed that the store was closed because it was a school night, and they were just

Check out this magazine onl ine at www.dairyqueen.netCheck out this magazine onl ine at www.dairyqueen.net

April 2010

2 World of DQ® April 2010

4 viewpoint

6 mailcall

18 out&about

22 insidescoop

30 asmile&astory

contents

World of DQ® April 2010 3

April 2010

Features

“Follow theBlizzard®mobile Tour”The five-month Blizzardmobile

tour will bring the Blizzard

Flavor Treat’s 25th Birthday

Celebration to multiple sites

throughout the United States and

Canada during 2010.

by Lisa Christenson

“A Digital 25th Blizzard®

Birthday”The Blizzard Flavor Treat’s

Birthday Celebration undergoes

a consumer-centric digital brand

experience during 2010.

by Lisa Christenson

8

14

8

30

Check outGerold Tricker’sstory

18 22

14

viewpoint

4

is the official publication of the Dairy Queen® system.

American Dairy Queen CorporationBox 390286

Minneapolis, MN 55439-0286(952) 830-0200

www.dairyqueen.comwww.dairyqueen.net

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONSDean Peters

PRODUCTION MANAGER/SR. COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Lisa Christenson

GRAPHIC DESIGNER/PRODUCTION ARTISTTammy Jacobson

ADVERTISING SALESLisa Christenson(952) 830-0206

[email protected]

SUBSCRIPTIONS: A subscription for the World of DQ® magazine is $18 per year ($20 in Canada). Mail a check made payable to ADQ and the name and address where you would like the magazine sent to: Lisa Christenson, American Dairy Queen Corporation, P.O. Box 390286, Minneapolis, MN 55439-0286

Volume 43, Number 3The World of DQ magazine is published eight times a year and is dedicated to the general welfare of IDQ Companies and franchisees. Newsworthiness and practical value of contributions become the property of American Dairy Queen Corporation and cannot be returned. Material in the World of DQ magazine is copyrighted and all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission. Programs and prices specified in the magazine are applicable to restaurants licensed and franchised in the United States only. However, restaurants outside the continental United States are invited to contact their service representatives or ADQ headquarters to determine whether the programs can be implemented in their area. ® U.S. Pat. Off., American Dairy Queen Corporation. © Copyright, 2010 American Dairy Queen Corporation, Minneapolis, MN. Printed in U.S.A. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40036515. POSTMASTER: Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Station A, P.O. Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5.E-mail: [email protected]

The World of DQ magazine is printed on paper that contains 50% recycled fiber,

10% of which is post-consumer waste.

Turning the Blizzard®-Loving WorldUpside Down 2010 is truly a momentous chapter in DQ®

history as we celebrate the 25th birthday of

our signature Blizzard® Treat and the 70th

anniversary of the brand. Together, we have

created our biggest integrated marketing effort

to celebrate the Blizzard Treat’s 25th Birthday.

At the core of our marketing efforts, we have

created a unique program to engage our raving

Blizzard fans with the launch of our Blizzard®mobile tour this year.

Physically, the Blizzardmobile has been custom designed for

fun with activities that will connect our Blizzard fanatics with their

favorite treat. Throughout the 25-city

tour, our fully-functional branded

mobile will stop at several select

locations. Some stops will feature an

extensive celebration that includes an

emcee, music, photo opportunities, a

“snow storm,” free Blizzard samples

and much more. Other visits will be quick sampling events.

Digitally, no matter where the Blizzardmobile happens to be,

fans will be able to follow and interact with the tour online via

Facebook (Facebook.com/DairyQueen) and Twitter (Twitter.com/

DairyQueen). In addition to fun and engaging online photo and

video contests, consumers will be able to view our new live-action

commercials integrated with a unique digital campaign of 20 to

30 webisodes.

We are excited our Blizzardmobile concept will engage Blizzard

fans in exciting new ways. We hope you and all our customers

find this to be a one-of-a-kind celebration for our iconic brand. We

want to create the kind of buzz it deserves as it turns 25, and drive

customer traffic and operator sales and profitability as well.

World of DQ® April 2010

Tim Hawley

Vice President of Marketing Communications

“Digitally, no matter where

the Blizzardmobile happens

to be, fans will be able to follow

and interact with the tour online via

Facebook and Twitter.”

World of DQ® August 2009 5

mail cal l

Customer Service SurpassedEditor’s note: This restaurant is located at 120 Jett Drive in Frankfort, Ky. It is operated by DQ Wholly Owned Stores.

I want to commend one of the

staff members at the Frankfort DQ®

location. I went to the restaurant

for the first time recently, and

I want to say “impressive” and

very “customer friendly.” I did

not catch the name of the young

lady who was assisting customers,

but she surpassed the meaning

of customer service. Normally in

a fast-food restaurant, the staff

considers what they are doing as

only their “job.” This young lady

looked as if she truly enjoyed

her job, was professional and

even double-checked the order

before handing it to me. On top

of that, she was treating all of the

customers that way. She was there

to truly serve the public—which is

rare to find.

Not so FastI saw a sign for half-price Blizzard®

Treats from 2-4 p.m. The employee

didn’t know anything about the

sale until I told her twice, and

then she finally figured it out. I

placed my order, but didn’t receive

it half-off. A manager approached

and explained that the special

price was for a small and I had

ordered a medium. I ordered the

small. Then the manager said I

had ordered a flavor that was on

sale, but not on the half-price

sale. She kept yelling at me that

Blizzard Treats weren’t on sale

except the small one and I kept

saying I had ordered a small one.

I finally realized she meant

that malts were half-price, so

I ordered a malt. The girl tried

to charge me full price, but I

explained again that it should be

half-price. While waiting for the

treat, I went into the restroom

but when I came back out, the

employee hadn’t even started to

make my malt yet. I had to ask

again in order to get my treat.

The whole event lasted 20

minutes and I never received an

apology. I would have expected to

get my order free or at a discount

because of their mistakes.

Hungry and in a HurryEditor’s note: This restaurant is located at 410 Second Ave. N.W., in Cullman, Ala. It is operated by Carolyn Shadden.

Many times when my friends and

I are going to Cullman basketball

games, we go to the Cullman DQ

drive-thru hungry and in a hurry.

A nice sounding voice comes

over the speaker, we order, and

we drive up to the window. It

never takes a long time to get

our order and there is always

a nice employee to greet us at

the window. We get an amazing

Chicken Basket and drive away

with change in our pockets.

Thank you for all you do for us.

Not Treated RightMy friend and I went to our local

DQ store for a Blizzard Treat and

a Banana Split. The unlocked


door said the store closed at

10 p.m. and it was only 9:35

p.m., so we walked in. We were

informed that the store was closed

because it was a school night,

and they were just cleaning up.

Well, it wasn’t a “school night” for

me, my friend, or the two people

who came into the store after

us. Customers at the drive-thru

window were told the same thing.

I was disappointed that we had to

go to McDonald’s.

A Treat for a Wayward TravelerEditor’s note: This restaurant is located at 1120 Lincoln Highway in North Versailles, Pa. It is operated by Linda Harding.

I was traveling on Route 30 when

I spotted the North Versailles DQ

restaurant. This was by far the best

fast-food experience I have ever

had. Why anyone would want to

patronize a Wendy’s or McDonald’s

is beyond me. I travel a lot for

work, and I have seen my share

of sub-par fast-food facilities. This

was the cleanest restaurant with

the friendliest employees. An older

woman took my order and provided

suggestions when she could tell I

didn’t have a clue what to buy. I

had Chicken Strips and a Blizzard

Treat, and both were delicious.

Obviously the owners of this

location take great pride in it—the

parking lot was immaculate! This

was really a treat for a wayward

traveler who is used to sitting in

littered parking lots with cold food

that took too long to make and

was served with a frown. q


8 World of DQ® April 2010

cover stor y

It would be hard to find someone who isn’t aware of

the automobile called the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile.

It is easily the most famous of all product-shaped

promotional vehicles, with a history dating back to

1936. Variants of the vehicle, shaped like a hot dog

on a bun, are still used to promote and advertise

Oscar Mayer products even today.

However, a new brand mobile is

now hitting the roads of the United

States and Canada as of April 2010—

the Blizzard®mobile. The one-of-a-kind

Blizzard vehicle is a fully-functional

brand mobile, much like the Oscar

Mayer Weinermobile, but with a

twist—a full digital component. And,

as part of the year-long Blizzard 25th

birthday celebration, the vehicle will

visit 25 designated markets to serve

as a unique and exciting way to

increase customer traffic and sales at

DQ® locations.

A Brand Mobile is BornThe Blizzardmobile was created

by GMR Marketing, a leader in

experiential marketing and interactive

touring attraction programs. “GMR

is the unmatched leader in custom vehicles, with

tours logging more than 1 million miles annually,”

explains Tim Hawley, vice president of Marketing

Communications. “They have created more than 300

custom mobile marketing exhibits to date.”

The visual features of the Blizzardmobile include

red spoon windshield wipers, three-dimensional red

lips as the front grill, hubcaps carrying the DQ logo,

upside-down Blizzard cups on the rear-view mirrors

and illuminated spoons above the windshield.


The five-month Blizzard®mobile tour

will bring the Blizzard®

Flavor Treat’s 25th

Birthday celebration to multiple sites throughout the

United States and Canada during 2010.

By Lisa Christenson

A lighted cup rim on the top of the vehicle will house

a snow machine, speakers and a “spoon” handle that

will be lowered when the vehicle is in motion and

raised when it is stopped.

The vehicle also contains code-compliant freezers

that will store the Blizzard samples in the brand

new mini size to be distributed at each of the stops

throughout the United States and Canada. The plans

for the mobile tour will also feature many national

and local PR opportunities, Blizzard Fan Club

components and Children’s Miracle Network (CMN)

fundraising potential.

“Thanks to more than $800,000 in vendor

contributions from the title sponsor Kraft, and others

including Hershey’s, Nestle, Coca-Cola (Desani),

International Paper and Pactiv, the Blizzardmobile and

the entire five-month tour is fully funded,” explains

Michael Keller, Chief Brand Officer. “Additional vendor

partners may also join the 25-city tour.”

Bringing the Tour to the RoadThe Blizzard 25th birthday party tour was designed

to be simple, yet memorable. The graphic look of

the vehicle communicates a “party on wheels,”

and brings the celebration to the people through

thousands of impressions. Kicking off April 2-3 in

Milwaukee, Wis., the vehicle will visit 25 different


cities throughout the United States and Canada, with

approximately three stops per market.

“Each market and city was selected based on key

criteria such as local DQ store penetration, Blizzard

Fan Club participation within the market, franchisee

leadership and operational capability for sampling,”

explains Hawley. “In each city, we will be working

with at least two DQ operators to have their crews

make and prepare the hundreds of Mini Blizzard

Treats to be sampled at each stop.”

While in each city, three Blizzard-centric events

will take place, handled by three full-time and two

or three GMR local market event support staff to

oversee and coordinate party activities. The first is a

two- to three-hour full party experience set up with

interactive elements visiting community festivals,

sporting events and destination locations. More than

1,500 Mini Blizzard samples can be distributed, while

the “Blizz Crew” greets fans, a snow machine makes

snow, a cool music mix gets the dancing started,

interactive games are played, and a live emcee

interacts and mingles with the audience. “The emcee

will be capturing the events on a flip camera, and

highlights will be uploaded online,” explains Hawley.

During each of the full party experience events,

people can enter the “Blizzard Blaster,” which is a

giant, upside-down inflatable Blizzard cup. While in

the Blaster, vanilla-scented air blasts participants as

wind swirls around confetti and prize coupons. Each

person in the Blizzard Blaster will have 25 seconds to

catch a coupon in their arctic mittens complete with

oversized Blizzard spoons.

The second level of stop is a one- to two-hour

scaled-down experience that will feature emcee

interaction, photo opportunities and Mini Blizzard

sampling for up to 750. Available space will determine

what additional interactive elements will be set

up. These events will take place primarily at CMN-

affiliated hospitals, as well as recreational centers

(such as ball parks) that have enough space to

accommodate the activities.

cover


The third level of stop will be small, up to an

hour long, sampling events that may be dictated by

Blizzard Fan Club members through social media

voting options. “One month prior to a visit, an e-mail

will go to the Blizzard Fan Club so they can vote

on where they want the Blizzardmobile to stop,”

states Hawley. “Locations receiving the most votes,

such as a DQ store, a mall or even someone’s home,

will get the visit. During these events, we anticipate

distributing less than 350 Mini Blizzard samples.”

Each tour stop will be supported through either

local or national public relations tactics. For example,

the Blizzardmobile will stop in places such as New

York City to attract attention with national morning

news shows such as “Good Morning America” or

“Fox and Friends.” In Washington, D.C. on April

15, Tax Day, the vehicle will stop outside the IRS

building to hand out samples to tax payers and

weary IRS employees, and during the Berkshire

Hathaway Shareholder’s Meeting in Omaha, Neb., the

Blizzardmobile will be on the floor of the convention

center. The tour will also visit Toronto and the Rogers

Centre during a Toronto Blue Jays game, and later in

the summer will visit Los Angeles, the entertainment

capital of the world, to connect with entertainment

news magazine shows.

“We will also have the capability to raise funds

and awareness for CMN,” states Hawley. The

Blizzardmobile features a CMN canister so people

can donate on behalf of the kids. In addition, the last

two market stops on the tour will celebrate Miracle

Treat Day on Aug. 5 in Minneapolis, and in Calgary,

Alberta, on Aug. 12.

“We will be creating the biggest events we can to

wrap up the Blizzardmobile tour,” he continues.

The Digital ComponentsIn addition to the physical Blizzardmobile tour, a major

aspect of the tour and its success is the accompanying

comprehensive digital outreach component. The tour

will amplify the physical efforts with an ongoing

consumer-centric digital brand experience. “With

the leadership of Jamie Guse, Web site manager, and

space150, our digital agency of record, our plan is to

build out the entire Blizzard 25th digital experience

using the Facebook platform,” says Hawley.

cover


In addition to Facebook, Blizzard Fan Club

members will receive VIP-type updates through

monthly e-mail blasts about the tour, providing them

with the latest information surrounding all tour-

related events and activities. Twitter, as well as mobile

marketing through iphones and the DQ mobile site,

will be used to reach those consumers on the cutting

edge of social media platforms.

“In addition, for the first time, we shot extra

advertising footage that will be posted digitally,”

he continues. “This is all in an effort to extend the

commercials that show the Blizzman Family’s passion

and antics while following the tour.”

“While the vehicle will work as the distribution

point for thousands of actual Blizzard samples, the

tour will generate hundreds of millions of digital

touchpoints through Facebook, Twitter and other

electronic media platforms,” says Keller. “The return

on investment will be based on the people who

experience the antics digitally, not so much through

where the vehicle itself stops.”

Follow the TourThe goal of the Blizzardmobile tour will be to create

as much consumer excitement as possible through

both national and local public relations efforts;

digitally through DQ Web sites, the Blizzard Fan Club,

and Facebook, as well as at the store-level through

local store marketing initiatives. What will start with

a mobile summer snowstorm, Blizzard samples and a

party atmosphere, will spread with online and social

media content.

“We created the Blizzardmobile and 25-city tour

in an effort to showcase our one-of-a-kind brand

during the Blizzard 25th birthday celebration,” states

Hawley. “We want to create as much buzz and

excitement as possible by turning the Blizzard-loving

world upside-down, while we help ensure the Blizzard

brand maintains top-of-mind awareness across the

United States and Canada as well as globally through

our online efforts.” q

Every person who visits dq.com or the Blizzard

Fan Club site will be encouraged to visit the public

Facebook page, which will become the digital hub for

the entire Blizzardmobile tour. The site will contain

photos, tour stop information, videos, commercials,

webisodes and more. “We will introduce our 2.2

million Blizzard Fan Club members to our 1 million

fans on Facebook, and hopefully grow both fan groups

exponentially to create global buzz,” explains Keller.

Milwaukee/Green Bay, Wis. April 2-3New York City April 8-9Washington D.C. April 15-16Charleston, W. Va. April 18-19Lexington, Ky. April 23-24St. Louis April 26-27Omaha, Neb. April 30-May 1Champaign, Ill. May 5-6Chicago May 9-10Toronto May 17-18Cleveland May 24-25Pittsburgh May 28-29Columbus, Ohio June 1-2Atlanta June 8-9Nashville, Tenn. June 11-12Louisville, Ky. June 16-17Springfield, Mo. June 21-22Dallas June 26-27Phoenix July 3-4Los Angeles July 9-10Portland, Ore. July 15-16Seattle July 18-19Vancouver, British Columbia July 26-27Minneapolis Aug. 5-6Calgary, Alberta Aug. 12-13

*Schedule subject to change

The 25-City Tour*


A Digital 25th Blizzard® Birthday


The Blizzard® Flavor Treat’s Birthday

celebration undergoes a

consumer-centric digital brand

experience during 2010.

By Lisa ChristensonThe Center of the Digital ActionDuring 2010, Generation Y will outnumber Baby

Boomers, and 96 percent of Generation Y has joined

a social network. One such network, Facebook, has

become so large that if it were a country, it would

have the third largest population in the world. And

this size has gathered during a fairly short time; while

it took 38 years for radio to accumulate 50 million

users, and the iPod took three years, Facebook had

that many users after only nine months.

During 2010, included within the many components

planned to highlight the Blizzard Treat’s 25th Birthday

is a digital platform, which will primarily be centered

around the public DQ Facebook fan page. Housed at

facebook.com/dairyqueen, the fan page launched in

May 2008 and has become an essential platform for

DQ consumer engagement. Currently, 62 percent of

fans are female, and 54 percent are between the ages

of 18-44.

“The average Facebook user becomes a fan of a

product or brand two times per month,” states Guse.

“Fan pages have generated 5.3 billion fans of brands.

With 1 million fans currently on the DQ and Blizzard

Facebook Fan Page, our brand now has the eighth

Did you know the DQ® system currently has a

significant brand presence on many social media

platforms, such as dq.com, blizzardfanclub.com,

Facebook, Twitter, the DQ Blog and much more?

As the name implies,

social media involves the

building of communities or

networks by encouraging

participation and

engagement. And, the

reason for all the increase

regarding generating social

media buzz is because of

the positive effects it can

have on a brand. Social

media is the number one

activity on the Web, even

more than e-mail and search

engine use. “Not only is social media extremely

popular in general, but for the DQ brand, it allows us

to connect with our existing and potential customer

base,” says Jamie Guse, Web site manager. “This

can successfully build customer connections and

generate brand engagement.”


feature

largest Facebook presence for restaurants.”

A new version of this fan page debuted in early

April, in order to become the digital hub for the

entire Blizzard®mobile tour. Customers will find all

Blizzard 25th birthday-related information in this one

spot, including photos, tour stop information, videos,

commercials, webisodes and more.

“Fans can find everything from info about our

TV family, the Blizzmans, and exclusive webisodes to

Blizzardmobile tour tracking and a video highlighting

the making of the vehicle,” explains Guse. “And

because we will be encouraging all people currently

going to dq.com or the Blizzard Fan Club to visit the

brand new DQ Facebook page, we will introduce

our 2.2 million Blizzard Fan Club members to our 1

million fans on Facebook, and hopefully grow both

fan groups as we work to create global buzz.”

The DQ Facebook fan page will house much more

than typical status updates. Some specific elements

created for the Blizzard 25th Birthday celebration

include Capture the Cup, Photo Grid and Pick Five.

Capture the Cup is a Blizzard photo challenge. It will

encourage fans to capture photos of themselves with

a Blizzard Treat in fun and interesting situations or

places for their chance to win free Blizzard Treats

for a year. “All they need is a camera and a Blizzard

Treat,” says Guse. “After fans upload their pictures

to Facebook, we’ll encourage people to vote for

their favorites.”

Photo Grid is a five-by-five grid of all the 25

Blizzard birthday flavors, with each featuring their

unique characteristics. Fans can tag each of the flavors

with a friend’s name. Facebook then notifies each

friend that they have been tagged and sends them

the grid, which helps the component virally spread

throughout Facebook.

“This type of tagging element is popular with

Facebook users,” explains Guse. “It allows them

to choose what friend should go with what flavor,

depending on how they interpret it. For example, it

could be that a friend with a social personality could

be tagged as the Social Butterfinger Blizzard Treat.”

Pick Five is another popular interactive Facebook

element. This application allows users to broadcast to

their friends what their top five favorite things are in

feature


categories from books and movies to restaurants and

games. “We will incorporate all 25 Blizzard Birthday

flavors in this application, so Facebook users can tell

their friends what their top five Blizzard flavors are,

and then ask them to pick their own favorite five,”

says Guse. “This piece is a highly engaging display ad

that will spread from friend to friend.”

Other Digital ElementsIn addition to Facebook, Blizzard Fan Club members

will receive updates through monthly e-mail

blasts providing them with the latest information

surrounding all tour-related events and activities.

The Blizzardmobile tour emcee will be capturing

what is happening at each stop with videos, as well

as by using Twitter. “The emcee is a critical piece of

bringing the tour to life digitally,” states Guse. “This

person needs to be the eyes and ears of the tour so

everyone else who doesn’t come into immediate

contact with the vehicle can still feel a part of it.

“We will also update our iPhone application to track

the Blizzardmobile tour, and view videos and promote

the 25 Flavors for 25 Years menu,” he continues.

In addition, Operation Happy Birthday will invite

bloggers, video bloggers, families or anyone with

a camera, camcorder or mobile recording device to

record and submit a one minute or less video clip

with their most original, creative or funny version of

singing “Happy Birthday” to the Blizzard Treat. The

contest will run during the summer, and 25 winning

video entrants will each receive $25 DQ gift card. “We

will showcase the top 25 videos on the DQ Blog and

Facebook,” explains Guse.

Digital AmplificationThe main objectives of digitally spreading the Blizzard

25th Birthday are to increase and expand brand buzz

and to boost digital traffic and the time users spend

online. Through using the Facebook platform, the goal

is to amplify the Blizzard 25th celebration with on-site

digital engagements that will extend all of the events

to virtual participants around the globe.

“Social media is an important cultural

development,” says Guse. “That’s why we engage in

several aspects of social media as a system, and why we

have seized the opportunity to promote the DQ brand

and the Blizzard 25th Birthday online to engage fans all

over the world. In 2010, the DQ system will use social

media to engage our customers like never before.” q



out & about expo recap

2009 DQ® Expo SnapshotsFranchisees from all over the world met in

Cancun, Mexico, during the Viva DQ®—Your

Passport to Profits—Expo held Jan. 28-31, to learn

all the newest information and updates regarding

the DQ system. From General Sessions, breakouts

and family-friendly evening events, to the Exhibit

Hall and Iron Tip cake competition, attendees

came together to Live DQ. q


Thanks for the Expo Memories!

Dear John,

I just wanted to thank you for welcoming Herb and

I into the DQ® world. Because of you and everyone

at the DQ® Expo, Herb and I shared our best 25th

wedding anniversary ever. Ordering that M&M’s

Blizzard®Treat in Playa Del Carmen was the smartest

thing I’ve ever done. You know why? I’ll tell you.

Because it led Herb and I to you and the DQ® family!

It proves my theory that just because you haven’t

been invited to a party, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t

show up. If we hadn’t come to the Expo in Cancun,

we would’ve missed out on all the informative and

inspiring speeches, slide shows, free samples and that

darling purple Viva DQ® bag. That bag has made me

the envy of all the gals in my water aerobics class. So

much so, that I had to buy a purple swimsuit, swim

cap and sandals to match.

You were such a dear to welcome us and

encourage us to meet and mingle with other

franchisees. What a friendly bunch! We have so

many new friends that if we took a road trip across

the country, we’d have franchisee folks to visit from

Akron, Ohio to Yakima, Wash.!

Sincerely,

Sylvia

Herb and SylviaDQ® Expo “Characters”


Theresa Le’s Cancun-inspired theme cake design.

From left to right: Theresa Le, Cathy Spandel, John Gainor, Christie Caudill, Michele Halbrook Tand Jose Castillo.

Ontario Cake Decorator Earns Her Tip What started out last July

culminated at the DQ Expo in

Cancun—the second Iron Tip cake

competition. Theresa Le, cake

decorator from the Brampton,

Ontario, DQ restaurant owned

by Danny Yiannakis and Dennis

Kafes, out-decorated the finalists

to become the winner.

The first round back in July

narrowed the initial 210 entries to

nearly 40. In early October, Le was

one of four DQ cake decorators

announced as those chosen to

go head-to-head against 2008

winner Cathy Spandel from Apple

Valley, Minn. In addition to Le and

Spandel, who ended up placing

second this year, the other finalists

were Michelle Halbrook from

Jacksonville, N.C., in third place;

and Jose Castillo from Manila,

Philippines, and Christie Caudill of

Winchester, Ky., both were named

as runner-up entries.

All of the finalists received

an all-expense-paid trip, along with

a guest, to the 2010 Expo in Cancun,

to compete live in the exhibit hall

to showcase their cake designing,

decorating speed and creativity skills.

During the finals, each contestant

decorated three cakes: one tested their

decorating speed, the second was the

competitor’s design choice, where

each was judged partly on creativity;

and the third was an on-the-spot

design that was kept secret from the

competitors until the competition. q

ins ide scoop 2009 top of the f ie ld


Frank O. Moffett Award RecipientRoger Brewin, Director of Concept Support Services Roger Brewin, as Director of Concept Support Services, develops, manages and

delivers field support programs and tools. These items are created to assist the

Operations, Research & Development, Training and Marketing Departments with

executing initiatives to achieve goals and objectives that ensure dominance within the

quick-service restaurant (QSR) burger and treat segments.

During 2009, one major project Brewin worked on was the Cost of Goods (COGs)

program, which helped franchisees maintain profits in a time of negative comp sales.

He also developed and piloted the Service Initiative that will set DQ operators up for

success in 2010 and 2011 to improve store level service to customers in the areas of

speed, accuracy and suggestive selling. In addition, Brewin worked with the Training

Department to integrate service into e-Learning and the crew training program.

“Roger has not only shown incredible leadership in Concept Support Services (CSS), but also in his

collaboration with our American Dairy Queen Corporation (ADQ) teammates and outside vendors,” says Bob

Hynick, executive vice president of Concept Support Services. “His leadership has allowed me to further move

CSS in preparing and handling the multitude of projects that come our way.”

Chris Corso, Business Consultant—Mid-Atlantic Region Chris Corso, as Business Consultant of the Mid-Atlantic Region, works side-by-side with the

franchisees in his area to provide leadership and coaching to help them successfully improve

sales, profits, operating standards and operating systems. He works with the district to

develop goals that not only follow the world-wide Operations Business Plan, but also to help

franchisees plan individual goals.

According to Lee Banbury, executive vice president of Operations—South Central, Corso

oversees one of the highest volume districts and, during 2009, focused on Operations execution

and rewards for positive performance. “Chris was a company leader in the planning and

implementation of the new image signage throughout his district, and has been a significant

resource for his peers in the region,” says Banbury. “He also worked with one of his larger multi-unit operators to

successfully implement and monitor cost controls.

“Chris has been with the DQ system for eight years, and has continually shown leadership and growth, both

personally and professionally,” he continues. “He shows great passion for the DQ brand.”

Honoring the TopCongratulations to the 2009 Top of the Field Award winners. These recipients have been nominated and chosen

because of their exemplary service to International Dairy Queen, Inc. (IDQ) and to its franchisees. Their above

and beyond performance throughout the year has earned them this prestigious title.

The Frank O. Moffett award, named after the DQ® pioneer who exemplified high standards of quality, service

and cleanliness in store operations, is presented to the individual who best demonstrates the characteristics that

Moffett is remembered for—“a tradition of dedication, progression and total work ethic.” This year’s recipient is

Roger Brewin, director of Concept Support Services.


Chris Falle, Franchise Development Manager—Canada As Franchise Development Manager in Canada, Chris Falle works closely with new and

existing franchisees on new store and restaurant development from the application phase to the

construction phase. Falle also facilitates remodel programs for various locations and concepts,

such as Project Soar.

During 2009, Falle traveled several times to meet directly with many franchisees in the

Maritimes and British Columbia, to review their projects and build relationships. “Through his

determination and customer service, Chris has created a momentum in the Soar markets in

the Maritimes and British Columbia that will continue in 2010 and beyond,” explains Sherry

McNeil, vice president of Franchise Development & Design for DQ Canada.

“Chris has grown to hold a leadership role in the Development and Design groups,” she continues. “He has

provided direction and motivation to various team members, as well as providing an excellent level of customer

service to franchisees.”

John Hulsey, Business Consultant—South East Region

John Hulsey, as Business Consultant for the South East Region, assists franchisees in improving

their overall sales and profitability, their systems and routines in store operations and their

overall capability level. He assists those working on additional store development, and those

who are converting existing locations, with a focus on improving the overall proficiencies and

training levels among the management and crew in their locations.

During 2009, Hulsey witnessed successful same-to-same sales in his area, due not only to

conversions, but also because of a focus on using capability model consulting and the crew

training kit focusing on improved operational strength in store locations. He also worked

diligently on Pride Systems to help operators embrace the idea of self-directed pre-season

facility checklists, as well as working on gaining participation in COGs control routines.

“John has been a great resource for the team on their reinvestment projects and has really stepped up as a peer

leader,” says Banbury. “Many of his team members compliment him on his energy, passion and ability to make an

impact with operators.”

Adrian Humphrey, Regional Marketing Manager—Heartland Region Adrian Humphrey, as Regional Marketing Manager in the Heartland Region, provides

marketing leadership and coaching to franchisees, advertising agencies, territory operators

and the Operations Team. She develops, manages and implements designated marketing

area (DMA) marketing plans and programs to optimize traffic, store sales and profits

for franchisees.

According to Jason Selby, area vice president of Regional Marketing, Humphrey “has been

able to manage multiple projects and assignments while still working tirelessly on behalf of

her region to create positive results for her franchisees.”

Selby says she has also been a key contributor to the development of the DMA Business

Plan for the St. Louis market, including internal meetings, the development of DMA marketing activities,

interdepartmental communications and seeking alignment between the DMA and various committees.

ins ide scoop 2009 top of the f ie ld


Theresa Lear, Business Consultant—Central Alberta, Canada

Theresa Lear, as Business Consultant in Central Alberta, Canada, works to bring value to

franchisees with solid business suggestions to help increase sales and profits. The role also

entails the ability to act as a liaison for the many different departments within the company.

“Theresa led the team in completing Modernization requirements, participation and

follow-up on the COGs initiatives with timely updates and tracking, and in many remodel

and store openings with both food and treat teams,” states Dave Acton, area vice president

of Operations—Central Canada.

“She was also a valued team member in mentoring new business consultants

throughout the year and providing leadership for their success,” he continues. “Theresa

is respected for her outstanding customer service she provides to operators in her district, co-workers and

internal team members.”

Leigh Marshall, Business Consultant—Western Great Lakes RegionLeigh Marshall, as Business Consultant in the Western Great Lakes Region, helps

build and protect the DQ brand by working directly with franchisees to help them

become more profitable and grow their businesses. One project during 2009 was

coaching and providing resources for COGs improvement. He is also a strong advocate

of drive-thru speed of service, helping operators develop a speed mentality.

During 2009, Marshall was instrumental in the development of the DQ Grill & Chill®

brand, with approximately 32 percent of his district featuring this design. According to David

Dorn, area vice president of the Western Great Lakes Region, Marshall has been creative with

franchisee partnerships. “He has started a breakfast meeting format, where franchisees meet

on a routine basis to discuss their business in an open forum,” he says. “These meetings have evolved from sharing

best practices to discussions about P&L data review, speed of service, COGs and development of their assets to the

DQ Grill & Chill design.”

Tim Oualline, Senior Operations ConsultantTim Oualline, as Senior Operations Consultant, supports new restaurant development and

major remodels across the United States. He supports logistics leading to and including the

actual opening of a restaurant, including getting the restaurant ready from an inventory and

cleanliness standpoint, helping set up the electronic point-of-sale (EPOS) system and assisting

the management team to train new crew members.

During 2009, Oualline led the team in opening eight food locations, which included five

major remodels, two ARD (additional restaurant development) restaurants and one NRD

(new restaurant development) restaurant, all in Texas. According to Michael Bruce, director

of Development Operations, Tim has the trust and confidence of all the Texas operators that

he supports. “His openings are always set up for success, with Tim properly coaching the operators to correct

inventory, staffing and scheduling needs,” he states. “When higher volumes are expected, Tim has made sure that

there is extra operational support on site as needed to ensure guest satisfaction.”


Suzanne Raddatz, Field Training ConsultantSuzanne Raddatz, Field Training Consultant, partners with business consultants to certify and

support field training locations and their restaurant training specialists. She guides franchisees

through the process of fulfilling the training requirements to open and maintain their

restaurants, and coordinates the scheduling of training classes in Canada and the Western

United States. In addition, Raddatz facilitates training seminars and workshops, including

People, Pride & Profits sessions.

During 2009, Raddatz continued to develop the Western Region into the most stable,

diverse and largest (14 active restaurants) group of certified training locations. She also

accepted the challenge of adding the coverage of 10 additional Canadian training locations.

“Suzanne was the face of the Fall Business Conference crew training seminar, role-modeling excellence in

facilitation skills for the videotape used by the field team to prepare for their meetings,” explains Marty Davis,

director of Field Training. “Suzanne is a key role model for her peers in Training as well as Operations.”

Chris Rhein, Business Consultant—Mountain Region

Chris Rhein, as Business Consultant for the Mountain Region, is responsible for developing

partnerships between franchisees and corporate staff to improve and enhance all aspects

of operations, both in the district and throughout the system, that directly impact sales

and profits.

“Chris has demonstrated exemplary performance and competence in his position,

achieved by his commitment to his responsibilities and his restaurant operators, as well as

the professional manner in which he carried out his activities,” says Doug Pavelka, area vice

president of Operations—Mountain Region.

Rhein completed several remodels during 2009, an ARD location and added the Orange

Julius® line to many of his DQ Grill & Chill locations. He worked as a field liaison on the COGs initiative, not only

developing some best practices that are used throughout the system, but also saw outstanding achievements in

improving franchisees’ bottom lines through the COGs program. In addition, he has been highly involved with

helping pilot the Service Initiative and has served as a mentor for new business consultants. o

Have you ever wished you hadanother copy or two of theWorld of DQ® Magazine?

Each one year subscription costs $18 ($20 in Canada), U.S. currency only, and includes eight issues.

All checks should be made payable to ADQ. Please send the name and address where you would like

the magazine sent, and the appropriate payment to:

Lisa Christenson | American Dairy Queen Corporation | P.O. Box 390286 | Minneapolis, MN 55439-0286


Blizzard® Fan Club Apparel Since the Blizzard® Fan Club

(BFC) was first created in 2005,

the members, now reaching 2.2

million strong, have hinted for

special Blizzard-themed apparel.

As of April 1, they will have the

opportunity to purchase such

items. The initial line will include

a limited number of casual t-shirts

and sweatshirts.

“It seems like a natural to

gauge fans’ interest in exclusive

apparel given the Blizzard 25th

Birthday and all the marketing

efforts we are placing on

this celebration,” states Tim

Hawley, vice president of

Marketing Communications.

“All merchandise will be

available to BFC members at

blizzardfanclub.com.” q

ins ide scoop blizzard® apparel

PRA AwardFor the third time in five years,

a DQ® restaurant owned by Lynn

Dairy Queens, Inc., has won the

PRA Excellence in Food Safety

Award. Lynn Dairy Queens, Inc.,

restaurants have always taken

Pictured (from L to R): Tammy Burkey, manager; Roileen Schimmel, administrative assistant; Michael Bowman, assistant manager; and Steve Steingart, chairman, PRA Education Health and Safety Committee.

pride in their standards for food

safety and sanitation. And now

they are being recognized for

their extraordinary efforts in

those areas.

On Nov. 1, 2009, the Dairy

Queen® restaurant located in

Connellsville, Pa., was recognized

for the second time by the

Pennsylvania Restaurant

Association’s Education, Health

and Food Safety Committee as

a winner of the Annual PRA

Excellence in Food Safety Award.

They received the award at the

72nd Annual PRA Meeting and

Awards Dinner, which was held at

the Hilton Harrisburg & Towers in

Harrisburg, Pa.

This award is given to those

members of the Pennsylvania

Restaurant Association whose

employees demonstrate

outstanding efforts in food safety

and sanitation. These efforts

include: having management

staff attain certification in food

protection, posting hand-washing

signs, using receiving logs, time

and temperature holding/cooling

charts and implementing a Hazard

Analysis and Critical Control

Point program. Congratulations

to Lynn Dairy Queens, Inc.! q

ins ide scoop fac


Back row from left to right: Dan Byrne, Jon Boeche (in vacant DQ/OJ Adjunct seat), Geff Freeland, Mike McKinnon, Darren Kints, Chuck Daniel, RussWright, Bruce Clarke, Kurt Schauermann, Jeff Ward, Billy Rose and Wendell Bradley. Front row from left to right: Jane Richardson, Sherry Shaban, DougWoodward, Judy Lynn-Craig, Karen Horn and Terri Fote. Not pictured: Mark Cowles and Dan Radigan.

2010 Franchisee Advisory Council

The World of DQ® magazine congratulates the following franchisees who have openednew restaurants:

New DQ Grill & Chill® RestaurantsTurk Development Group MT Vernon LLCTom TurkMichael TurkMount Vernon, OhioNov. 28, 2009

New DQ/Orange Julius® StoresRed Flag Profits Ltd.Xi An Chinatown-Giftware Plaza StoreShaanXi, ChinaNov. 16, 2009

Red Flag Profits Ltd.Chang Sha Fu Rong StoreHuNan, ChinaNov. 17, 2009

Graham McKee, Inc.Edward GrahamTeri McKeeRaleigh, N.C.Nov. 19, 2009

Red Flag Profits Ltd.Peng Cheng StoreJiangSu, ChinaNov. 23, 2009

Philippines Pizza, Inc.BrentMamplasan, PhilippinesNov. 23, 2009

Red Flag Profits Ltd.JingQiao StoreShanghai, ChinaNov. 24, 2009


ins ide scoop new restaurants

Remodel to theDQ Grill & Chill ImageLix, Inc.Craig ShannonJanice ShannonFort Morgan, Colo.May 22, 2009

Frauenshuh Hospitality Group of Minnesota, LLCHastings, Neb.June 1, 2009

P&B Enterprises, LLCPamela CowanEstate of Robert CowanNiles, Mich.July 9, 2009

Linda HardingNorth Versailles, Pa.Aug. 12, 2009

F-FC’sMichael MolinaroLynn MolinaroMonroe, Wis.Sept. 1, 2009

Richard RoytekWanda RoytekGary RoytekJohn RoytekMattoon, Ill.Sept. 1, 2009

Nar Narayan Dev. Inc.Pravinkumar PatelJayshree PatelMahomet, Ill.Sept. 1, 2009

EG Cimfar, Inc.Thomas LandonCarole LandonKeizer, Ore.Oct. 19, 2009

S&H Fastfoods, Inc.Hannan BalloutSaid BalloutHopewell, Va.Nov. 1, 2009

J&S Enterprises, Inc.John AlexanderShellee AlexanderWinaman, Ind.Nov. 1, 2009

Barry SherwoodKimberlyn SherwoodInternational Falls, Minn.Nov. 4, 2009

Dennis Redfield, Inc.Dennis RedfieldDiane RedfieldTitusville, Pa.Nov. 9, 2009

“DQ” Moe Inc.Cheryl Dmochowski-ZeiglerCamp Hill, Pa.Nov. 17, 2009

DQ of Martin KY, LLPMartin DQ Inc.Steven BoothEdward MooreDQ Joint Venture Stores Inc.Martin, Ky.Nov. 18, 2009

William HoeffnerLyons, Kan.Nov. 20, 2009

RDWR, Inc.Rodney LoweDyanna LoweLowell, Ark.Nov. 20, 2009

ins ide scoop in memoriam


James Metrou(1954-2009)James Metrou of Rizes, Greece,

died Nov. 14, 2009. He was 54.

He was born Nov. 29, 1954, in

Lahena, Greece. He immigrated to

Aurora, Ill., in 1969. He married

his wife, Nancy, in 1980 and they

had three daughters, Angela,

Maria and Eleni. He and his wife

opened their first restaurant in

1984, and were instrumental in

developing numerous commercial

properties. They opened a DQ®

store in 1990 and Metrou was the

first franchisee in the Chicago

area to become a DQ Grill & Chill®

restaurant in 2007. Their location

has received numerous Pride

awards and cake plaques.

Metrou is survived by his wife

of 29 years; his three daughters;

his brother, Peter; and four sisters,

Christina, Joanne, Maria and Irene.

Robert Cowan(1958-2009)Robert Bruce (Bob) Cowan of

Niles, Mich., died Dec. 10, 2009.

He was 51.

He was born May 14, 1958,

in Lansing, Mich., to Bruce and

Pauline (Yeager) Cowan. He

graduated from Williamson High

School in Michigan in 1977, and

received a degree in business and

law enforcement from Lansing

Community College. On Nov. 10,

1978, he married Pam Bumbalough.

The couple purchased the

DQ restaurant in Niles more

than 25 years ago. A member

of Peace Evangelical Lutheran

Church for more than 25 years,

he held various positions including

President of the Congregation,

Elder, Chairman of the Board

of Education, Sunday School

Superintendent and Bible Study

Leader. He was a member of

the Four Flags Chamber of

Commerce Board of Directors and

a Chamber Ambassador.

He was preceded in death

by a brother, Thomas Cowan.

He is survived by his wife;

son, Kenneth Cowan of Fort

Wayne, Ind.; his parents;

and brother, Brian (Teresa)

Cowan of Barberton, Ohio.

Al Schock(1920-2009)Al Schock of Sioux Falls, S.D.,

died Dec. 27, 2009. He was 89.

He was born March 31, 1920,

on a farm in Long Lake, S.D.,

to John and Barbara Schock.

He attended South Dakota State

College in Brookings, S.D.,

and received his bachelor’s

degree in chemistry and dairy

manufacturing. He received a

master’s degree in bacteriology

and biochemistry from the

University of Wisconsin—

Madison, and was awarded an

honorary doctorate in 1966.

Schock married Phyllis

Peterson in 1943. In World War

II, he served as a First Lieutenant

and was awarded a purple heart, a

Bronze Star and a Army’s Civilian

Service award. He served as a

civilian aide to the Secretary of

the Army for South Dakota for 20

years, was a member of President

Richard Nixon’s Task Force on

Rural Development in 1970, and

ran for the U.S. Senate in 1974.

He was the Chairman of the

Board of Nordica Enterprises,

Inc., a family-owned corporation

he started with his brother Ozzie

in 1988. Nordica is the territory

operator for South Dakota DQ

stores, with the exception of

Minnehaha County. He was

involved in changing the dairy

industry to a wholly-consumed

commodity, as well as getting bills

passed to sell soft-serve made

with ice milk in the five states

his dairy processing business

serviced. He also played a role

in the development of probiotic

cultures used world-wide.

He was president of the Sioux

Falls Chamber of Commerce, the

Luther Manor Nursing Home, the

United Way and South Dakota

Water Development Association.

He was active with the Lions Club.

Schock and his brother Ozzie co-

founded the Schock Foundation,

which has donated nearly $2

million to charities since 1950.

Schock is survived by his wife

of 66 years; daughters, Bobbie

Kohrt and Barbara Schock; sons,

Bernie (Cathy), Paul (Nancy)

and Steven; 10 grandchildren;

and nine great-grandchildren. o

Gerold Tricker and wife, BettyCity: Champion, Ohio, for five months of the year;

Bonita Springs, Fla., for the other seven.

Connection to the DQ® system: Has been a DQ® operator

for 48 years. Now his son and daughter-in-law run the

Champion restaurant.

a smile and a story® t imeless s tor ies


Q. What is your DQ® smile and story?

A. I don’t work at the store any more, but I enjoy going there on

occasion to talk with the customers and give stuff away. One day I

saw a little girl with her mother, and I told her that I had talked to her

teacher who said that she had been good, so she could be treated to

anything she wanted. I also let her make it herself. She made her own

sundae, and then I let her make one for her mother, too. I sat down

with them while they ate their sundaes, and her mother told me that

I had done the exact same thing to her 35 years earlier when she was

a child, and that is why she has always been a loyal customer.

Q. What is your first DQ memory?

A. I started out 45 years ago, and there have been a lot of tremendous

memories throughout the years. I enjoy giving away product, and that’s

something I’ve done ever since I started out. There is such a joy in giving

away ice cream.

Do you know anyone who would like to share their smiles & stories? If so, contact

Lisa Christenson at 952-830-0206 or [email protected].

Behind the Dairy Queen® brand we are proud of our endless smiles and stories. They are all timeless stories that capture the essence of our brand. Gerold Tricker shares his smiles and stories below in this issue of the World of DQ® magazine.

Q. What is the best characteristic of

the DQ brand?

A. That it is the best. When you are

dealing with the best, it’s pretty hard to

compare it to anything else.

Q. When you think “DQ Something

Different,” what comes to mind?

A. DQ Cakes. Our decorators do a

fantastic job. It’s really a piece of artwork

when they are done. Appearance is

everything, and when it looks good it

will taste even better.

Q. Why do you think the DQ system

is such a great family destination?

A. I think because it’s the best product

there is, so everyone can enjoy it.

Q. What is your DQ guilty pleasure?

A. An old-fashioned malt.

Q. What is your favorite DQ Blizzard®

Treat?

A. Oh boy. It’s a tie between the

Hawaiian Blizzard and M&M’s Blizzard

Treats. I have diabetes though, so I can’t

eat them as often as I’d like.

Q. What is your favorite DQ

commercial?

A. Every DQ commercial I see tickles me.

It’s uplifting to see the advertising money

is paying off. q


Documents

Check out this magazine online at · 10 p.m. and it was only 9:35 p.m., so we walked in. We were informed that the store was closed because it was a school night, and they were just