Winning at the "Can" Level: Decades of Restaurant Experience Shape CMO's Approach at Smalls Sliders

Earlier this year, Smalls Sliders elevated Michael Alberici to chief marketing officer, tapping a seasoned brand leader. Alberici had been senior vice president of marketing for the Atlanta-based burger franchise. His promotion has expanded his influence as the concept continues its national expansion.

He leads with a simple but rigorous mandate. “My role is to turn clear positioning into disciplined execution that drives unit-level economics and long-term brand equity,” he says.

Every strategy begins with the economics of the “Can” (restaurant location) and then reverse engineers the demand needed to fuel profitable growth across the franchise system. He says success isn’t measured by impressions alone, but by what matters most to operators: traffic, frequency, mix, and profitability. “Consistency across every Can is nonnegotiable,” he says.

Alberici has held marketing leadership roles with brands like Cinnabon and Olive Garden, building a résumé that spans franchised restaurants and global consumer brands. That experience informs his disciplined but distinctive approach to brand building.

“We don’t try to be everything to everyone,” Alberici says of Smalls Sliders. “We keep the focus tight: craveable sliders, a great guest-first experience, and a brand personality with some swagger.”

Alberici believes in keeping marketing grounded in what really matters, which is getting results for franchisees. He’s big on tying brand strategy directly to unit performance, like traffic and profitability, instead of chasing trends. He uses data to guide decisions and focuses on building real demand, not just buzz. At the same time, he understands that brands need personality and energy to connect with guests.

Marketing doesn’t take place in a vacuum at Smalls Sliders, he says. Instead, his department stays closely aligned with operations, finance, and tech to ensure campaigns actually work inside each location. That kind of discipline builds trust across the system.

Factor in Alberici’s clear communication style and willingness to empower his team, and you get a leader who knows how to grow a brand without losing focus on the fundamentals.

Describe your role as CMO: As CMO, I lead a team focused on brand strategy, culinary innovation, integrated and digital marketing, guest data and insights, and field marketing with a franchise-first mindset.

What’s the most challenging part of being a CMO today? The hardest part is separating signal from noise in an environment obsessed with trends. Feelings aren’t facts, and it’s easy to chase momentum instead of building durable demand. The discipline to stay focused while still innovating is what defines great marketing leadership.

How has Covid impacted the way you have led your brand’s marketing efforts? Covid accelerated digital adoption and forced brands to earn loyalty differently. It reinforced the importance of owned data, operational flexibility, and local relevance. We now build campaigns assuming agility is not optional.

What are the three most important keys to being an effective CMO leader today? First, lead with data but communicate with humanity. Second, protect the brand promise through operational discipline. Third, build teams that reflect the diverse guests you serve and empower them to execute with clarity.

How do you prepare a marketing plan and execute the strategies? We start with the economics of the Can and reverse engineer the demand required to hit our goals. Then we align brand storytelling, menu innovation, digital, and local marketing around a single focused plan. Execution is phased, measurable, and built to scale across franchise markets.

How do you measure marketing results and effectiveness? We measure what matters to franchisees: traffic, frequency, mix, and profitability. Beyond awareness, we track digital acquisition, retention, incremental lift, and return on spend. Data informs decisions, but disciplined testing drives progress.

Discuss your core consumer marketing strategies and objectives: We build demand through cultural energy, the kind of “if you know, you know” momentum that creates anticipation and drives trial. But hype only works if the experience delivers, so we back it with disciplined operations, high-energy hospitality, and craveable food that exceeds expectations. When guests feel that the brand promise matches the moment, perceived value rises, turning first visits into loyalty.

How do you go about creating a customer-centric marketing and brand philosophy? We listen obsessively to guest data, not just social commentary. We test, measure, and refine based on behavior, not assumptions. Customer-centric marketing means aligning what we promise with what we can consistently deliver inside every Can.

Describe your marketing team and the role each of them plays: I’m incredibly proud of our team. They don’t just execute campaigns; they deeply understand our guests and lead with a franchise-first mindset in every decision. Each team member owns their lane across brand, digital, technology, marketing, insights, and innovation while working cross-functionally with operations, finance, and supply chain to build both the brand and the business. There are no silos at Smalls, just shared accountability to drive demand, protect the promise, and win at the Can level.

Why is it so important for the marketing department to have a personal touch when it comes to helping the brand connect with franchise prospects? Franchise prospects aren’t just buying a concept; they’re buying a system and a partnership. Marketing must articulate both the brand story and the economic engine behind it. Authenticity and clarity build trust before a deal is ever signed.

How does this help your franchise sales and development effort? Strong marketing de-risks the decision for prospects. When they see disciplined growth, data-driven campaigns, and brand consistency, confidence increases. It accelerates development by proving the model works.

What ways/tools do you rely on to do this? We rely on performance dashboards, market-level case studies, digital analytics, and consumer research. We also use immersive brand storytelling across social, PR, and field activations. Transparency backed by data is our most powerful tool.

Do today’s prospects expect more from the franchise marketing department? What, and how do you provide it? Absolutely. Prospects expect proof of scalability, digital sophistication, and disciplined spend. We provide clear metrics, defined playbooks, and transparent performance reporting. Monthly system-wide brand meetings, FAC marketing subcommittees, and direct access to any marketing squad member ensure we are not just supporting our franchisees, but building a long-term partnership of support.

How is today’s consumer and marketing data helping you fine-tune your marketing initiatives? Consumer data allows us to personalize offers, optimize media, and test value perceptions. It informs menu innovation and helps us understand daypart behavior and attachment rates. Data keeps us grounded in reality, not opinion.

Describe the evolving role of social media in your brand’s marketing efforts: Social is both a storytelling channel and a real-time focus group. It drives awareness, builds cultural relevance, and fuels digital ordering. But it only works if the in-Can experience matches the energy online.

How do you work with other internal departments, and does technology help? Marketing, technology, and operations are inseparable at Smalls. Every campaign is vetted through operational readiness and financial impact. Technology enables real-time collaboration and shared visibility across teams.

Which technology tools are most valuable to you and why? Our POS and digital ordering platforms are critical because they generate the data that guides our decisions. CRM and loyalty tools help us build long-term relationships. Analytics platforms ensure accountability and smarter media investment.

How do you stay on top of changing technology? I stay close to partners, emerging brands, and cross-industry leaders. I also prioritize curiosity within my team and encourage experimentation. Staying informed is important, but staying disciplined is essential.

How do you manage costs and budgets for the marketing department? We budget with unit-level profitability in mind. Every dollar must have a purpose, whether it’s building brand equity or driving traffic. Discipline in spend is how you earn franchise trust.

Do you see vendors as business partners? Why/why not? We don’t use the word “vendor” at Smalls. They are absolutely our partners. The right vendors are strategic partners, not transactional suppliers. We expect transparency, accountability, and shared ownership of results. When aligned properly, they extend our team’s capability.

How have marketing strategies/tools changed over the past decade? How have you adapted? Marketing has always been responsible for driving demand, but over the past decade, the role has become far more integrated with financial analytics and capital discipline. Real-time performance data, digital ordering, and attribution tools now allow marketing and finance to operate as partners by aligning spend to unit economics, cash flow, and long-term valuation. I’ve adapted by leading marketing as both a brand builder and a steward of capital, ensuring our investments are measurable, repeatable, and scalable across the franchise system.

How is your marketing/branding strategy developed, and how does it flow through the system? It begins with a clear brand promise and disciplined operational model. From there, strategy translates into national campaigns, local activation, digital engagement, and field support.

What advice would you offer to aspiring CMO executives? Lead with humility and clarity. Trust your instincts, but always back them up with facts. Know your numbers, from PMIX and sales trends to industry benchmarks, because vision without financial fluency is just noise. Be bold enough to paint the future but disciplined enough to execute it. Build a trusted peer network. Empower your team to take risks. Marketing sits at the intersection of performance and perception, so it carries high visibility in both up cycles and down cycles. Embrace that responsibility, stay anchored in the data, and make sure your team feels the credit when results follow. No one builds a brand alone.