IYKYK.
Building a Bold Challenger Voice in a Market Dominated by Giants
In the restaurant POS landscape, Toast and Clover have long commanded the spotlight—holding massive market share, towering awareness, and the kind of momentum that makes it difficult for any emerging platform to break through. But beneath the surface, operators across the country have been vocal about their frustrations: hidden fees, rigid agreements, and systems that often feel more cumbersome than supportive. That tension became the spark for a creative exploration into what a true challenger brand could look like if it chose to confront the category head-on.
Our team set out to imagine a campaign that didn’t play by traditional POS marketing rules. No product demos. No corporate jargon. Instead, we focused on the emotional truth of the industry—what restaurant operators actually experience day-to-day—and used that reality as fuel for a sharper, more culturally fluent point of view.
The Concept
The concept began with a simple, powerful anchor: IYKYK. A modern wink to those who’ve lived through the frustrations of bloated systems and unpredictable costs. From there, the visual language took shape through metaphor-driven imagery designed to hit instantly. A dried clover representing disappointment. A burnt slice of toast revealing the heart that so often gets lost in the demands of the restaurant world. Clean, minimal, and bold, each execution was designed to speak directly to operators without ever needing to name the competition.
What emerged was a commentary-driven campaign that embraced the unapologetic confidence of a brand willing to challenge the status quo. The storytelling emphasized transparency, operator-first thinking, and the idea that innovation doesn’t always come from the loudest player in the room. It can come from the brand that finally says what everyone else is thinking.
Every element of the campaign was crafted to spark recognition—a knowing nod from the people who’ve dealt with the realities behind the visuals. The tone was deliberate: sharp enough to stand apart from industry norms, modern enough to connect with the next generation of operators, and strategic enough to reposition a smaller player as the smarter, more intuitive option.
Ultimately, this work reflects the AVANTI philosophy: when a market is saturated with sameness, the boldest move a brand can make is to tell the truth. This campaign demonstrates how a challenger—no matter its size—can claim space, disrupt expectations, and start a conversation simply by speaking directly to the people who already know exactly what the visuals mean.