Home Run Inn

Protecting What Makes the Brand Authentic

For me, heritage and evolution have never been mutually exclusive. In fact, I think the strongest legacy brands know exactly what they stand for, which gives them the freedom to evolve how they show up in the world.

Home Run Inn has been around since 1947, and as a fourth-generation family member, I have an enormous amount of respect for our history. Our recipes, our commitment to quality, the family behind the brand, and the authenticity of being Chicago’s very first tavern-style thin pizza are things I would never want to change.

How we tell that story, though, has to evolve across generations and platforms constantly. Consumers shop differently, discover brands differently, and engage with brands differently than they did even five years ago. Over the years, we’ve continued to shift our media mix toward digital, e-commerce, retail media, and more targeted consumer engagement, while still investing in the things that build long-term brand equity.

Our core pillars and who we are remain the same, but the way we bring that story to life continues to evolve.

I think the key is to modernize how you connect with consumers without modernizing away the very reasons they loved the brand in the first place.

Using Heritage as a Foundation

You have to know who you are before you start chasing what’s next.

One of the advantages of a legacy brand is that you have something newer brands spend years trying to create: authenticity, history and trust. The mistake is thinking that history alone will keep you relevant.

At Home Run Inn, we have always tried to use our history as a foundation rather than allowing it to become a limitation. We were born in a neighborhood tavern on Chicago’s South Side, but today consumers can experience Home Run Inn in our restaurants, in grocery stores across the country, at Wrigley Field, at Chicago’s airports and through digital and e-commerce channels.

“I think the key is to modernize how you connect with consumers without modernizing away the very reasons they loved the brand in the first place.”

Even creating National Tavern-Style Pizza Day was rooted in that philosophy. Tavern-style pizza has been part of Chicago culture for generations. We weren't inventing something new but rather, were helping give a larger platform to something authentic to our history and to Chicago.

That, to me, is how a legacy brand stays relevant: you don't abandon your roots.  You simply find new ways to make those roots meaningful to the next generation of consumers.

Creating Value beyond Brand Exposure

I’ve always believed the best partnerships shouldn't feel like marketing. They should feel like a natural extension of the consumer's relationship with the brand.

Our partnership with the Chicago Cubs is a great example. Home Run Inn and the Cubs are both deeply connected to Chicago, family traditions and generations of memories. Becoming the official pizza of the Cubs and having Home Run Inn served at Wrigley Field gave consumers an opportunity to experience two Chicago traditions together.

The same philosophy guided our collaboration with Garrett's Popcorn. Pizza and popcorn are both foods associated with sharing, entertainment and experiences, and both brands have incredibly strong Chicago roots. Creating Pizza Popcorn together gave consumers something unexpected, but it still felt authentic to both brands.

When I evaluate partnerships, I always ask: Does this make sense to the consumer? Does it give them something they actually value? And does it make both brands stronger?

If the answer is yes, you're building a connection. If you're simply exchanging logos, you're probably just buying exposure.

Turning Legacy into a Modern Brand Story

I think storytelling is one of the greatest advantages a legacy brand has.

Home Run Inn has nearly 80 years of stories….four generations of family, a neighborhood tavern, our original pizza recipe, employees who have spent decades with us, families who grew up eating our pizza, and consumers who moved away from Chicago and still seek out Home Run Inn because it reminds them of home.

My job as a marketer has never been to manufacture a brand story. It's been a challenge to figure out how to tell the incredible story we already have in ways that are relevant today.

Storytelling isn't limited to traditional media channels anymore. It happens through social media, PR, packaging, partnerships, retail experiences, digital content, restaurants and even where consumers encounter the brand.

The channels will continue to evolve. The technology will continue to change. But people will always connect with great stories. For an established brand, the opportunity is to take something true for decades and narrate it in a way that feels meaningful today.

Staying Curious Without Chasing Every Trend

First, protect what made the brand successful, but don't confuse protecting the brand with protecting the status quo.

I've spent more than two decades at Home Run Inn, and one of the biggest things I've learned is that consumers will tell you when something is changing if you're willing to listen. You have to stay close to the consumer, invest in research and data, understand what's happening at retail and constantly evaluate how people are discovering and purchasing your brand.

At the same time, not every trend deserves your attention. One of the hardest jobs for a CMO today is deciding what not to chase.

I would tell any marketing leader managing a legacy brand to be incredibly clear about their brand's non-negotiables and incredibly curious about everything else.

Experiment with new platforms. Test new technology. Build unexpected partnerships. Listen to younger consumers. Challenge the way you've always done things. But continually ask yourself whether what you're doing strengthens the brand or simply makes it look current.

Legacy brands don't need to become something different to remain relevant. They need to keep finding new ways to remind consumers why they mattered in the first place and give the next generation a reason to make the brand their own.