• by Larissa Faw , February 1, 2016

One of the biggest current foodie fads is Nashville Hot Chicken and now O'Charley's Restaurant and Bar, a 45-year-old brand founded in Nashville, is highlighting its Southern roots in a new campaign. It is showcasing its own version this hot food trend.

Developed with agency Bohan, the concept highlights O'Charley's newly introduced Nashville Hot Chicken dish by comparing it to competitors and emphasizing its spiciness. 

One ad features a family dining out at O’Charley’s with the father asking: “Can the Hot Chicken be not Hot?” As the restaurant becomes silent, his embarrassed young daughter apologetically notes “Dad’s from Vermont.”

Another spot pokes fun at KFC with an opening shot of a familiar-looking box of chicken as the voice over notes: “Hot Chicken from Kentucky?” And then in what any Southerner would recognize as a sarcastic comment, the announcer says: “Bless their hearts.” 

“We are proud of the fact that we are from Nashville, where hot chicken was invented," says David Ellis, vice president, marketing, O'Charley's. "The growing popularity of our hometown dish is a great opportunity to remind people of our own roots and the great Southern food and hospitality our restaurants offer." 

This campaign supports O'Charley's new “Southern-inspired menu” and includes print, out-of-home, in-store and social media support. TV ads are appearing in 15 regional markets.

O’Charley’s operates 211 restaurants in 17 states in the Southeast and Midwest. Bohan has repped the chain since April 2014. O'Charley's estimated annual advertising budget is around $14 million.