• by Lukas Harnisch , January 8, 2023

Under the guidance of Chief Marketing Officer Carl Loredo, since 2019, Wendy's has seen some of its most ambitious years.

Online, the brand has gained quite a reputation setting itself apart in a social-media scene saturated with clean corporate accounts and often gaining attention through snarky tweets.

That attention has turned into real-world success.

Under Loredo's direction, they launched a new breakfast daypart in a market packed with established breakfast quick-serve restaurants.

The odds were stacked against them, but their market share now rivals those of competitors that have been in the game for nearly 50 years.

They have also made innovative strides in a field that many of their rivals are hesitant to enter. The Wendyverse, which was built in Meta's Horizon Worlds, is a great example, and one that Loredo is incredibly proud of.

“Building the Wendyverse in Meta’s Horizon Worlds from the ground up with creators has been an exciting venture for us,” he says. “While others have been simply playing the game, we've been creating it. Truly a first of its kind, the Wendyverse bridges the best of today with tomorrow and provides fans a new form of community to connect with us, and each other.”

That's just one of the ways that Wendy's is virtually reaching consumers. At the launch of Animal Crossing: New Horizon, the brand live-streamed footage of the game using the Wendy persona to advertise its free delivery service.

Watching a corporate persona play a video game was a first for many in the community -- and at its peak, the stream garnered 16,000 viewers.

Loredo and his team continued to focus on the gaming community with an exclusive Uber Eats menu created by and for gamers so they would “Never Stop Gaming.” The company partnered with popular streamers to promote the campaign and gave out prizes in orders.

For Loredo, all these efforts are perfectly in line with the company's mindset. “Everything we do at Wendy's starts and ends with the consumer,” he says. " 'Customer-first’ is not just a mindset or a mantra for us -- it's the magic that sets the Wendy's brand experience apart from all the other quick-serve restaurants.”

He has brought veteran levels of experience to his leadership and has been a part of and led teams at PepsiCo and Craftmade International, collecting several accolades along the way. Over time, he has learned that it is important to be strategic about what trends to attach his brand to. 

“It's never been the Wendy's way to simply pounce on the latest trend,” he says. “We're purposeful in our campaigns and partnerships, ensuring we deliver at the right time, in the right place, with the right message for our brand, and our fans.”

“We're all about meeting our fans where they are -- listening to their passions and showing up for them in unique and engaging ways,” he says. “We know who we are, what we stand for, and who our fans are. In 2023, we'll continue to be at the forefront of culture and show up for our fans where others have let them down.”