Shoney's chooses new advertising agency to lift sales

Just three months after hiring a new top marketing executive, Shoney's is replacing its advertising agency. The Nashville-based chain of roughly 300 restaurants is dropping Louisville-based Doe-Anderson for New York's Cliff Freeman & PartnersThe roughly $20 million account, according to an estimate by the Wilmington Star, will come under the influence of the agency that created Little Caesar's "Pizza Pizza" campaign. Years earlier, Shoney's' newly appointed senior vice president of marketing Dan Dahlen worked with ad firm head Cliff Freeman on the Wendy's "Where's the beef" campaign. Other clients of the New York firm include TBS, Canada Dry and Snapple.

Shoney's current advertising campaign features country comedian Jeff Foxworthy. That campaign will run through the fall. Earlier this year, the company attracted attention – and miffed several radio stations – with a radio spot that included the phrase "passing Gas."