Earlier this month Shamrock Foods and a variety of participating Arizona restaurants introduced Dine4AZ, a three month campaign to encourage residents and visitors to eat out more often.

One in 10 working Americans are restaurant employees according to the National Restaurant Association, and Arizona has more than a quarter million food service employees per the Arizona Restaurant Association. All told, there are nearly 9,000 eating and drinking establishments in Arizona. While some may consider this a timely feel-good campaign, the economic stimulus capacity seems promising.  Supporting stats from Shamrock Foods’ Dine4AZ press release indicate: each dollar spent at an Arizona restaurant generates an additional dollar in sales for other Arizona industries, and each additional $1 million spent in restaurants and bars generates an additional 26 jobs for the state.

Welcome to My Restaurant: Alice Cooper and Shamrock Foods CEO Norm McClelland at Dine4AZ campaign kickoff

The campaign of course offers diners coupons and specials at participating restaurants, and the Dine4AZ.com Web site helps visitors locate participating eateries by city and cuisine. But it’s the communication aspects and news of the launch event at Alice Cooperstown that initially captured my interest.  (Yes, Cooperstown is the namesake eatery of classic rocker Alice Cooper. I’ve found few other establishment that can match those ribs — possibly Famous Dave’s with my conspiracy theory being they may have the same supplier…hmm).

I was also drawn in by the dash of social networking that the campaign and knoodle, its Phoenix-based advertising and public relations agency of record, have integrated with activities via Twitter and Facebook pages.

The Cooperstown campaign kickoff (I did not attend) paired Cooper with Governor Jan Brewer as they took turns delivering the pitch. Local ABC and Fox television coverage capture some sound bytes.

knoodle’s Dine4AZ efforts have produced a nice mix of radio, television, print and blog coverage, as well as ongoing awareness and conversations generated through social networking. The campaign represents an interesting blend of corporate, celebrity, agency, media, industry association and even government efforts toward a mutual set of benefits; and it helps confirm that some basic social media use can help amplify the key messages of just about any initiative with most any kind of audience. Hats off to Christina Salgado, Rosario Glasco-Cain and the knoodle team for their job revving up the campaign’s communications.