HoJo to Go

Howard Johnson's Landmark; Summer, 1977 page 1

Everything is a Go at HoJo!

With Sundaes to Stroll and Clams to Roll™

Circa 1977 HoJo to go cups from the collection of Mark Ihrie

The smart, lively new designs for the take-out bags, trays, boxes, sundaes, beverages are being promoted with a mini-menu -- HoJo To Go, point of purchase signs and window banners.

The advertising campaign and new product line and its promotion took six months for a team of Howard Johnson Company employees to devise. Vice President of Service Standards, Doris Etleson, and Howard Johnson Director of Graphics, Bob Downing were responsible for the assignment.

The project was set into motion with three goals.

To let guests know we're in the take-out business
To be not only competitive, but to surpass anything on the market
To produce a unique product not available anywhere else.

Perhaps desperately hoping to battle fast food chains, Howard B. Johnson personally directed his employees to combat sales losses with a new campaign.

Attempts in the past to position or create HoJo's concepts similar to fast food outlets had all failed. Devising new packaging and advertisement was seen as a cheap way to increase sales and perhaps lure a few customers back under the Orange Roof.

Note the most unique of the new packaging was the special take-out 'shell container' for fried clams--the HJ Company even applied for a patent for the new design.