Quick service restaurant Oporto is returning to its Bondi roots with its first TV campaign, Born in Bondi, supporting the brand’s revamp.

To mark the brand’s relaunch this week, the campaign uses 3D animated Barbie-like chicks and blokes hanging out at Bondi beach, which can be seen by visiting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTglAtvPK6E

The ad was inspired by Second Life-style animations and celebrates Oporto’s hero product, the Bondi Burger, of which 7 million are sold annually.

Press ads and redesigned menu boards have also been rolled out across the stores to launch the new look Oporto.

Targeted marketing has built on its word of mouth expansion with ‘Just gotta go’ radio jingles, cheeky billboards and the ‘pimp my ride’ Kombi that got tongues wagging when it drove through Sydney a couple of years ago. You can see it here at: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=OiTOKJXFHUk

The catalyst for this push into advertising was to bolster its continuing regional expansion and prepare for Oporto’s international expansion. Ten suburban and regional stores will be opening before Christmas, and Oporto’s first UK outlet will open at Victoria Station in London.

Oporto national marketing manager, Jason Piggott, who also owns two Oporto franchises, said the reason for the refocus was Oporto’s growth outside its traditional Sydney base.

“Oporto chicken burgers have an incredibly loyal customer base in and around Sydney. We realised that with our moves into regional Australia (particularly with drive-thru outlets) and overseas we needed to make sure people understood what Oporto is all about.

“Oporto began in North Bondi and Sydneysiders have always associated our Portuguese chicken and burgers with the taste of summer. While we’ve had great success with quirky marketing in Sydney we were preaching very much to the converted. We are going back to our Bondi roots to make sure our new customers understand the Oporto brand.”

There is no recession in this business according to CEO Jeff Fisher, turnover is in excess of $120 million per annum and store numbers have tripled over the past three years. “Our success is in our Portuguese inspired sauces and marinades,” he said. “Once people try us, they are addicted.”

The company is negotiating sites in China and the US and has plans to take the TV campaign abroad.

“Bondi Beach is an international icon. Aussie beaches made labels like Mambo and Rip Curl big names. We are striving for the same image,” said Piggott.