The Heroes Have Arrived

What began as a local creative collaboration in the Valley has now evolved into a nationwide campaign uniting more than 20 Kitchen Guard franchises across the U.S.

This October, ToriStar Media joined forces with Kitchen Guard Corporate to launch the brand’s first-ever national Fire Prevention Month campaign — an integrated storytelling initiative that exposes one of the most overlooked threats in commercial kitchens: the Grease Goblin. 

Through bold visuals, cinematic storytelling, and a touch of Halloween-inspired fun, ToriStar’s creative team turned a fire-safety message into a cultural moment for the restaurant and hospitality industry.

The Creative Spark: Villains vs. Heroes

Every great campaign starts with a spark.

“October naturally pairs with Halloween, so we leaned into that visual energy,” says Starlyss McSlade, Creative Director at ToriStar Media.

“Our idea was simple but powerful — show Kitchen Guard technicians as everyday heroes battling back against ‘Grease Goblins.’ The characters brought personality to a serious topic while allowing us to create a universe of visuals that live across print, digital, and social media.”

The campaign’s “Villains vs. Heroes” creative direction reimagines the battle for kitchen safety with cinematic flair. 

Each visual — from flyers and digital ads to animated social posts — features Kitchen Guard technicians confronting the dark, greasy villain lurking in restaurant hoods and ducts.

The rallying cry:  “Eliminate Grease Goblins for Good.”

The Deliverables: Design Built for Scale

To bring this universe to life, ToriStar developed a full suite of branded creative assets designed for both local activation and national scalability:

• Custom Sales Flyers and Direct Mailers distributed to over 20 Kitchen Guard franchise locations nationwide
  
• 31 Days of Digital Content & Copywriting for the entire month of October, shared simultaneously across all franchisee social channels
  
• Franchisee-Ready Canva Templates to ensure consistent yet customizable branding
  
• Zoom Backgrounds and PowerPoint Templates for internal communication and presentations
  
• Bonus creative assets for franchise banners, decals, and branded merch to extend campaign visibility

The result: a campaign ecosystem that empowers every franchise owner to engage, educate, and build brand recognition — all while promoting fire safety awareness.

“Behind every unforgettable campaign is a team of creative minds bringing the story to life,” says Starlyss McSlade, Creative Director at ToriStar.

“This milestone marks the moment the heroes arrive. Our hope is that operators see the danger before it strikes — and know exactly who to call.”

Strategy Meets Storytelling

While the visuals captured attention, the real success lies in the strategy behind them.

“Every October, the hospitality industry turns its attention to fire safety — but we wanted this to feel different,” explains Milton Stephens, Managing Director at ToriStar. “We built a campaign that doesn’t just warn about the dangers of grease buildup — it empowers operators to act. We positioned Kitchen Guard as the go-to expert in fire prevention and compliance.”

ToriStar’s storytelling approach fused education with engagement — transforming compliance into conversation. The campaign aligned with Kitchen Guard’s own “31 Days of Fire Safety Tips” initiative, blending daily educational posts with shareable hero imagery that kept audiences informed, inspired, and entertained.

The National Impact: A Unified Message of Safety

The campaign’s reach extended coast to coast — driving engagement across all Kitchen Guard social platforms and increasing brand visibility nationwide. 

By coordinating with more than 20 independent franchise owners, ToriStar helped establish a new corporate-level standard for brand consistency, digital collaboration, and localized marketing empowerment. 

For the first time, the Kitchen Guard network launched a synchronized national campaign — one message, one mission, one brand voice.

Creative Partnership, Elevated

For ToriStar Media, this campaign represents a defining creative milestone — evolving from local franchise support to corporate-level brand strategy and national storytelling leadership.

“It’s been incredible to watch this partnership grow,” adds Starlyss.

“What started as design support for Phoenix became a full creative movement. The future of Kitchen Guard branding is brighter — and cleaner — than ever.”

Let’s Create What’s Next — Together

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