Bertucci’s Builds Ties to Fenway Faithful

Bertucci’s restaurant is trying to maintain a presence in the minds of Boston Red Sox fans in a NESN reality show and a billboard near Fenway Park.

The company is promoting its new grill menu with a branded segment in a reality dating TV show set in Fenway Park, and a billboard over its restaurant in nearby Kenway Square boosting Bertucci’s On Fire Player of the Week.

“Sox Appeal,” New England Sports Network’s half-hour dating show, features three couples on blind dates spanning two innings, climaxing with Bertucci’s Grill Moment – when one of the dates is “grilled” by family members about the prospective mate.

The idea behind the two–minute segment is to make the connection between the grill and the grill menu, according to Alyssa D’Arienzo Toro, creative director of Connelly Partners, which developed the campaign.

Connelly approached NESN about the On Fire Player award, which is picked by the regional sports network and announced each Sunday on air with the number superimposed in Red Sox blue and red over an image of a dinner plate with grill flames in the background. The billboard at Bertucci’s is decorated with the player’s number in large wooden numerals the next morning.

“The idea for Bertucci’s is to keep fans’ eyes on that board and give them something to talk about,” said Toro.

“Sox Appeal” started airing on NESN in a post-game Wednesday night window this month, and will continue through the end of the regular season in October.