At POSSIBLE 2026, Chief Marketer sat down with White Castle CMO Jamie Richardson to discuss the brand’s innovative marketing messages, loyalty programs, new company developments and leadership advice.
Transcript:
Kaylee Hultgren:
Hello everyone. I’m Kaylee Hultgren, Content Director for Chief Marketer Network. We are here at the Possible Conference in Miami Beach. I’m here with Jamie Richardson, CMO at White Castle. Welcome, Jamie.
Jamie Richardson:
Great to be here. Thank you very much.
Kaylee Hultgren:
We’re gonna chat about all kinds of stuff. I can’t wait to get into some of the marketing campaigns that you’re doing at White Castle. So you moved into the CMO role in, in January, right? You were, but how many years have you been at White Castle?
Jamie Richardson:
I have had the opportunity to sell sliders for living for the past 27 years. So it’s a calling, it’s a vocational calling, and I love it.
Kaylee Hultgren:
So how would the, the company, can you tell us anything about how it has evolved in those, 20 odd years or anything that really sticks out for you in terms of transformation or otherwise?
Jamie Richardson:
I think it’s interesting because at the heart of all Crave physics, as we would call it, there’s this hunger for what we’re able to provide, which is hot, tasty, affordable food. I think the way that’s evolved is how we bring that message to more people in a meaningful manner. So we have a CPG business that’s growing by leaps and bounds since I started in the business. So we’re in all 50 states and all the major retailers, so you can find us in the grocery freezer aisle. At the same time, we brought all this learning into the restaurants and being a family owned operation, , you know, we’re small and mighty so we can make a difference in each of our neighborhoods. So, the song remains the same in many ways, but it’s kept, gotta keep it fresh and relevant as time goes on too.
Kaylee Hultgren:
Can you talk a little bit about that, White Castle’s business being family owned and how that might change how products go to market? Sure. And any kind of I would say differences from your competitors or any kind of challenges that creates, or advantages.
Jamie Richardson:
I think one of the opportunities that provides for us as a family owned operation is we get to take a longer view. So culture’s really important to us. So our vision is feed the souls of Craver generations everywhere. It’s not just a slogan we put on a wall. We, we live that and make decisions based on that. So we’ve been certified as a great place to work for the fifth year in a row. that’s from our team members. So I think for us, it allows us to be thoughtful, patient, and able to make decisions that build over time. The, the tough thing can be, you can get in that mode of feeling like comfortable. You have to create your own discomfort, especially in our world, marketing wise, to make sure we’re a quarter step ahead of what’s next.
Kaylee Hultgren:
And you own all of, does White Castle own all of the restaurants?
Jamie Richardson:
We do. So yeah, we have 340 restaurants. We own all those restaurants and, , so our company owned operation, which is unique. We don’t franchise. And so that gives us some distinctiveness too. Yeah. It means we don’t grow as fast. We’re not adding 50 castles in a year, but we just found out we’re gonna open a castle in Kissimmee, Florida. We got approvals to go and so the building’s done, and we’re gonna invite customers in Tuesday, May 5th For a big party. So it’ll be great. Breaking news. Breaking news. That’s right.
Kaylee Hultgren:
Speaking of Possible the show, what are some of your goals while you’re here? I know you just rolled in today. Might, do you plan on attending sessions or any of the other marketing, business opportunities?
Jamie Richardson:
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, when you have a gathering like, this is so rich with so many opportunities for learning, and we have a value, a White Castle called Continuous Crave. It means never being complacent, just always trying to learn more. And an opportunity like this for us is around how do people consume communications really today. And we know that’s evolving, at perhaps the fastest pace it ever has. But for us, being able to have an inside look at that gives us opportunities. We think there’s a democratization of media that’s happening that’s been happening for 25, 30 years. We wanna be on the cutting edge of that because as a smaller player, we believe it can help us succeed even faster.
Kaylee Hultgren:
So let’s talk a little bit about the Craver culture that you’ve mentioned and all sorts of iterations of the word crave. Sure. So tell me about what that is, and I know it’s important to your marketing and your initiatives and loyalty programs, all that. So talk, talk to me about some of the most recent ones and maybe where that, where it originated. Yeah.
Jamie Richardson:
I think it starts with this basic need to fulfill longing. And, and we have something that’s distinctive in terms of the physical properties of product. So the way we might express that is a hundred percent beef, steam grilled on a bed of onion, served with a bakery fresh bun in one perfect pickle. What it really means is a fulfillment of a quest. It’s something that you ate for and want to be part of. So we, , stumbled into Language of Crave over 30 years ago. And it just resonated instantly. So we continue to evolve that. In fact, this week we’re having our Craver’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony, so oh, many are called and fewer are chosen. It’s easier to get into Harvard than it is the Craver’s Hall of Fame. So we’re going to have a big party, as we celebrate these new inductees. Valentine’s Day, we take reservations and do tableside dining. So more recently we’ve launched a new campaign Crave Thy Castle with our partners, GSD and [inaudible]. And we love it because it recognizes every one of us has a craving. We might not even know it, we may not realize it. Your craving looks like you, sounds like you dresses like you, one small difference. Your craving is wearing a night helmet and your craving’s going to stand, not let anything stand in the way of getting you to the castle. So it’s fun.
Kaylee Hultgren:
that what you’re speaking about at your session or …
Jamie Richardson:
Yeah. Our session will be about, with an iconic brand that’s got decades of lore and a lot of fun, how do you grow that? How do you bring that to the next generation in a way that’s meaningful. And find and meet people where they are. So rather than just get locked into adding one more visit from our existing base, how do we grow that base. And how do we do it with the next generation of cravers?
Kaylee Hultgren:
So what is your plan to appeal to younger generations? My generation had Harold and Kumar. So what, what are you doing for younger people to become obsessed with this product?
Jamie Richardson:
You know, it, it’s like Harold and Kumar, it’s like not being afraid of the, the things that people are already thinking, doing, being part of anyway. And by that I mean just not taking ourselves too seriously. So we’re amping that up. So our social presence has changed dramatically. We’re adding a lot of energy to that in terms of how do we meet people where they are and, and have more of a conversation than a sales pitch. And we’ve seen good spark to that. We’re also leaning into product innovation, so we’ve got a great lineup. I know competitors are gonna be watching this, so I can’t share all the details, but we’ve got a fajita chicken slider that just hit market a little bit ago with a, a spicy ravioli that’s jalapeno and cream cheese and we let consumers name it, you know, , yeah. So it’s, it is been fun. Triangle fellows came in second.
Jamie Richardson:
We’re kind of glad. Spicy ravioli or a jalapeno ravioli one. Trying Ellis was nice. It was very geometrical, but yeah, we would’ve gone with it. There was no stuff in the ballot box is how it ended up.
Kaylee Hultgren:
It really sounds like your job is fun. I have to say it is fun. At least the naming conventions.
Jamie Richardson:
Well, every part of it’s fun. You know, we get to eat beef for breakfast, why not <laugh>?
Kaylee Hultgren:
So let’s talk a little bit about challenge marketing challenges. What are the things that really, that keep you up at night? What are the things that you’re trying to improve upon? Any thoughts on that?
Jamie Richardson:
I think measurement is gonna continue to be important, especially as communication channels evolve and, you know, it’s one thing to talk about roas, but what does it mean in the real world and how does that translate to building the business near term? So I think sometimes we can be tempted to lean into efficiency. It’s super important. We have to absolutely combine that with a notion of effectiveness . To understand you need both, that just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should. That we have to start with consumer insight as our guide and, and let that guide our thinking every step of the way.
Kaylee Hultgren:
When it comes to growth. CMOs are growth drivers more than ever today. Yeah. What are your ideas for growing the brand? And acquiring more customers?
Jamie Richardson:
You know, for, for us it’s around that relevancy. And big part of that is being able to talk to the, the potential customers in our own trade areas for the restaurants and in the, the grocery free aisle as they’re wandering by, but doing it in a way that’s really meaningful. So one of the big things we’ve done is we have for the first time a brand unified campaign where a retail customer, consumer’s gonna see the same thing that a restaurant consumer does. Growth for us comes one customer at a time. , a footprint isn’t gonna grow through acquisition, we’re not gonna add 50 new restaurants, but what we are gonna do is increase our store traffic and increase that velocity on the retail side of the business. And we’re having a lot of fun doing that.
Kaylee Hultgren:
Okay. Excellent. Brand perception. Let’s talk a little bit about, I mean, obviously a fun brand. We just went through a bunch of different examples of interesting fun things that your fans and just regular people even know about, you know … You don’t necessarily have to eat new White Castle in order to be entertained by the whole thing.
Jamie Richardson:
We can feed your soul lots of different ways.
Kaylee Hultgren:
<laugh>, so that’s a positive brand perception, right? Yeah. So what do you want to work on in terms of, how would you like to improve the reputation or perception of the company?
Jamie Richardson:
By doing more of the same of the things that made us great to begin with. Here’s one thing we’ve discovered over the years, and we’ve seen it in our different arenas, both on the retail side of our business and restaurant side of our business. When you try to be all things to all people, you’re gonna lose every single time. And so for us, it’s not about watering down the essence of who we are, leaning into the things that really do resonate, not with everybody. And that’s okay. So for us, it’s around distinctive taste, , that is polarizing. We wanna celebrate that polarization as an absolute strength, so it isn’t a me too kind of proposition. And it’s also also about how we share that relevancy with more people and, and do it in a way that has a spark. I guess I’d call it the art of the unexpected . In terms of finding ways that we can connect emotionally, and never to negate the importance of that emotional connection. Food is a very intimate experience. I mean, this is something that you’re, that you’re enjoying, you’re savoring hopefully. And it shouldn’t just be about caloric intake. It should be about, that you’ve made it to the castle or you got got it outta your microwave, or whatever the case may be. .
Kaylee Hultgren:
How about new interesting channels or communities that you are looking to be a part of? Anything cool going on that you’re looking into that you’re spearing with?
Jamie Richardson:
We’re having a lot of fun with our loyalty program with Craver Nation. So, we’re adding people at a record pace and we’ve upgraded it. So we made it a better experience because we’ve added Quest, which kind of fits with a castle.
Kaylee Hultgren:
And Quest is …
Jamie Richardson:
Quest is just an assignment, you know, an opportunity to earn some, some extra value. And then to earn a reward. So, it might be a late night quest or we’re invite you to come after 10:00 PM or whatever it might be. As we lean into summer, one thing happens everywhere when the sun goes down, White Castle becomes Night Castle, so we’re gonna celebrate that irreverence and invite more people in 24 hours a day, almost 80% of our castles are open 24 hours a day, and not everybody can claim that. So we wanna claim that difference and you can have ’em 24 hours at home. You know, because they’re right in your freezer at home.
Kaylee Hultgren:
How about brand partnerships or partnerships with influencers? How are you approaching that and do you play on building on that, adding to that?
Jamie Richardson:
it’s so much fun because we’ve got great friendships everywhere. We partner with all kinds of different personalities and brands. We’ve had a lot of fun partnering just on the fly with Garage Beer. They’re Ohio based, we’re Ohio based. And so we’re always talking to those, those fun folks about what might be next. When everyone’s doing the product challenge, our CEO, our slider queen sat down with the CEO of crush beer and he was pounding lime beers and she was pounding sliders and then they switched. So again, I think for us it’s around trying to find those that are a fit and not forcing it. It keeps it fun. .
Kaylee Hultgren:
How about AI? Are you using AI for efficiencies within the marketing organization? And creative. What is your viewpoint there?
Jamie Richardson:
Well, you know, AI has a lot of connotations and so for us, we’re looking at it as accelerated innovation. In terms of we’re gonna interact with humans, we’re talking about a human experience. What we can do is augment our base of knowledge and learning and do it faster. But not to replace that element that really understands how to emotionally connect in a way that’s meaningful. If it allows us to be more productive along the way to do that, but faster, we’re all for it. We see it as a tool that’s empowering. It’s about empowering people, not replacing people.
Kaylee Hultgren:
A couple questions about leadership and your role. What do you think are the most important qualities for a CMO today?
Jamie Richardson:
I think it’s about being able to understand the importance of the brand that you’re the steward for. And the people who are working with you to put your best foot forward. And if you can create an environment that’s about nourishment and growth for the brand and the people who are helping build the brand with you gotta be three steps ahead of the rest of the world and take a long enough view so you can think about how you get there. Not overnight, because you can rush things and make mistakes if you do that with an urgency, a purposefulness. And also the thought about what’s good for the brand long haul. Not a, not a situation where you’re gonna, don’t, don’t think of being gone in three weeks or three months or three years. How do you leave it healthier than it’s ever been? .
Kaylee Hultgren:
Any advice for aspiring CMOs?
Jamie Richardson:
Lean in. Bring all your passion to it and make the difference that you were meant to make.
Kaylee Hultgren:
And stay in a company for 28 years and know it top to bottom.
Jamie Richardson:
Keep on craving in a free world. <laugh>.
Kaylee Hultgren:
Last question. What’s up for the brand next? Is there anything you could share, besides the new White Castle?
Jamie Richardson:
I mean, all kinds of breaking news. So, you know, one of the things that’s really fun is we’ve got a great partnership with a group called Automated Retail Technology. They manufacture these super smart, super technologically advanced kiosk that reheat our food. And then they sell them to licensed food service operators around the country. So we just made an agreement with them. They have our permission and support, they’re gonna do singularly branded White Castle vending units that they’re aiming to get a thousand of those on college campuses around the country. And you tap heat neat. And it’s literally like you just made ’em at home and it’s got all the convenience, that you could ever crave and a lot of fun. So we see that as a great new way to introduce people who’ve never tasted us to the product. And maybe we’ll see ’em at the drive through later or at the grocery freezer aisle. I can see it now. Yeah. It’s fun, popular.
Kaylee Hultgren:
Alright, well thank you so much Jamie for sitting down with us. , have a great show. And thank you for this opportunity.
Jamie Richardson:
I have to end with something in the slider sleeve for you, my friend, my very own slider, not a sticker. That’s a coupon for free ones.
Kaylee Hultgren:
Alright. Thank you very much.