FYR Short North Reignites Its Brand with Influencer-Driven Launch
The Situation
FYR Short North, located within Hilton Columbus Downtown, introduced a reimagined dining experience under new leadership with Executive Chef Zach Warn and a fully refreshed, “reignited” menu. The opportunity was to reposition the restaurant as a destination for Columbus locals—not just hotel guests—while building awareness and credibility around its elevated, live-fire concept, Ohio-sourced ingredients, and signature dry-aging program.
To complement a broader earned media push, we needed to generate immediate buzz and create an authentic, community-driven conversation that would resonate with local dinners and drive interest during the critical launch window.
What We Did
We executed a no-strings-attached influencer campaign designed to prioritize authenticity over obligation. We identified and invited a curated group of 20 Columbus-based influencers spanning food and lifestyle audiences to attend an exclusive, family-style preview dinner highlighting the menu launch. Additionally, we provided each influencer with key background information on the restaurant and relevant mentions to ensure continuity among any posts made.
The experience offered a behind-the-scenes look at FYR’s new direction, including interaction with Chef Warn and sampling of key menu items tied to the restaurant’s live-fire and dry-aging focus. We intentionally removed posting requirements, allowing guests to share organically about their experience. Those who chose to post were also connected to our influencer platform for performance tracking.
This effort ran in lockstep with our earned media outreach, ensuring consistent messaging across both traditional and influencer channels while maximizing exposure during the launch window.
The Results
The campaign drove immediate and measurable impact, with 15 influencers generating 110 pieces of content across Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
- 5 million impressions and 272.7K total reach
- 2.5K engagements across content
- $187.5K in earned media value from influencer activity alone
Audience data confirmed strong alignment with target demographics, with 75% of viewers based in Columbus. Qualitatively, the campaign generated overwhelmingly positive sentiment, with audiences highlighting food quality, experience, and intent to visit, while also creating significant FOMO among those not in attendance.
The influencer activation worked alongside a broader earned media program that secured nine feature stories, nine broadcast segments, and a total potential audience of 14.8 million, reinforcing FYR Short North’s repositioning as a must-visit dining destination in Columbus. The overall result was a high-impact launch that drove immediate awareness, strong community response, and sustained interest, with additional influencers proactively seeking future partnerships, and most importantly, a satisfied client.
