Great Bagel & Bakery

Serving delicious enlightenment.

Client Industry:

Food & Beverage

Restaurant

Customized Team:

Director of Marketing

Lead Creative Designer

Social Media Manager

Food Photographer

Services:

Social Media Strategy

Campaign Development

Public Relations

Product Packaging

Food Photography

Experiential Marketing

Creative Direction

Community Partnerships

Client Background

Great Bagel & Bakery brought Sage in after investing in a rebrand and preparing for expansion into a new location. They were entering a pivotal growth phase and needed stronger recognition, consistency, and strategic marketing momentum to support it.

At the same time, the bakery introduced a major differentiator: freshly milled flour, used across all baked goods. This wasn’t just a product change — it was a commitment to quality, nutrition, and serving food in its purest form. They needed marketing that would clearly communicate that evolution and position the brand as thoughtful, intentional, and community-driven.

The Conundrum

While the rebrand created visual momentum, the marketing lacked structure and amplification. Social platforms were underutilized, campaigns were inconsistent, and the expansion into a new location required stronger brand cohesion.

Great Bagel needed:

Consistent brand storytelling following the rebrand
Increased recognition leading into a new location launch
Education around their freshly milled flour and quality standards
Community engagement that translated into foot traffic
Campaigns that created energy beyond daily specials

The goal wasn’t just visibility — it was authority, excitement, and sell-outs.

A Sage Approach

Sage stepped in to bring structure, creativity, and activation.

We cleaned up and branded their Instagram presence, aligned visuals across platforms, and created campaign-driven content that highlighted their commitment to food in its purest, nutrient-rich form. Messaging centered around craftsmanship, freshness, and the intention behind every ingredient.

From there, we built momentum through experiential marketing and hyper-local engagement:

Influencer-led “Welcome to Millpond” launch event
Strategic press outreach to WKYT, Herald-Leader, LEX18, Chevy Chaser, and Southsider
Seasonal workshops and community events (Coffee Sessions, Holiday Sourdough Workshop, Pancake Social, Cookie Decorating Party)
A 3-month Scavenger Hunt activating UK, Transylvania, and the Lexington community
Strategic giveaways and local brand collaborations
Packaging development and swag initiatives
New product photography and menu campaign highlights
Catering menu creation and brunch relaunch

Everything was designed to reinforce consistency post-rebrand, drive traffic to the new location, and spotlight the bakery’s commitment to quality ingredients and freshly milled flour.

Results

During a six-month partnership:

Instagram

Organically grew from under 2,820 followers to 3,971 — an increase of 1,151 targeted followers.

Facebook

Organically grew from 2,651 to 3,277 followers — an increase of 626 targeted followers.

Beyond follower growth:

The Millpond launch event led to a same-day sellout.
Multiple workshops and events sold out.
Increased review activity and community engagement.
Stronger brand consistency across platforms during expansion.
Product Packaging for their flour, napkin holders, and more.

In a short span, Great Bagel & Bakery evolved from a beloved local shop into a high-energy, community-driven brand with cohesive storytelling and measurable digital growth — all while expanding locations and reinforcing its commitment to food in its purest form.