When Beers With Friends got the call from DIG—a Northeastern chain that’s been serving grain bowls since 2011—they approached it with their signature blend of smart thinking and real-world execution.
First, A Quick Intro to DIG
For those who haven’t encountered them: DIG (formerly Dig Inn) brings farm-to-table sensibility to the fast-casual model. Think scratch-made comfort food served cafeteria-style—BBQ chicken over farro, roasted vegetables with actual flavor, mac and cheese that tastes homemade.
Since 2011, they’ve grown from their NYC roots to over 30 locations across the Northeast—from Boston to D.C., Philly to Connecticut. Built a loyal following among office workers who want something satisfying but not too heavy. In 2019, they shortened their name from Dig Inn to DIG as part of a rebrand.
Thing is, customers never really made the switch. They kept calling it Dig Inn.
The 5-Day Sprint
Dana Hork, James Wood, and the BWF team took an interesting approach. They compressed their strategy process into what they call a “5-day Beer Run.” Instead of overthinking it, they focused on a simple observation: if customers never stopped using the old name, maybe there was something to that.
The insight went deeper than nostalgia. When everything feels uncertain, people appreciate things that stay consistent. Their favorite lunch spot being one of them.
“Always Inn” works as more than wordplay. It acknowledges that reliability has value, especially now.
Making Strategy Tangible
What’s refreshing about Beers With Friends and Dig Inn is how they brought this thinking to life:
- Commissioned local artists to paint Dig Inn murals on storefronts
- Brought back the millennial pink takeout bags from the early days
- Launched a Tumblr (leaning into the 2011 origins)
- Created social content that feels conversational, not corporate
Each piece reinforces the same idea: Dig Inn is back, and it never really left.
Beyond the Bowl
This isn’t just about a regional grain bowl chain. BWF and Dig Inn tapped into something bigger—the idea that brands don’t always need to reinvent themselves. Sometimes acknowledging what customers already know is the smartest move.
“You never stopped calling us Dig Inn anyway” is disarmingly honest. It’s the kind of line that makes you smile because it’s true.
Five Smart Moves from BWF and Dig Inn
- They listened to customers: The name never changed in people’s minds.
- They worked efficiently: Five days of focused thinking beat weeks of overthinking.
- They activated locally: Street art and physical touchpoints made it real.
- They respected history: Embraced what worked instead of forcing newness.
- They kept it human: The whole campaign feels like a conversation, not a campaign.
Why This Resonates
Beers With Friends demonstrated something valuable here. In an industry that often overcomplicates things, they kept it simple. They saw what was already true and built from there.
For DIG, that meant going back to the name customers preferred. But the bigger lesson is about meeting people where they are, not where you think they should be.
It’s thoughtful work from an agency that clearly understands both strategy and human nature. And in a time when everything feels like it’s constantly changing, there’s something comforting about a place that says, “We’re exactly who you remember.”
- About the Author
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Doug Zanger is the founder and editor-in-chief of Indie Agency News. He is also the founder of the Creative Bohemian consultancy, lives in the Pacific Northwest and is insufferable about it.
