• Wall Street Journal, Brandweek, Promo, Thursday, October 8, 2009 10:44 AM

Wendy's is launching its largest ad campaign in years tomorrow -- 25 TV and 23 radio spots, 16 billboard ads and online promotions -- stressing its freshness and quality, Suzanne Vranica reports.

"The brand is not where it needs to be," admits CMO Ken Calwell. The country's third-largest burger chain by sales has struggled to define itself since the death in 2002 of founder and pitchman Dave Thomas, Vranica writes. The new push will highlight the premium Bacon Deluxe burger, boasting that Wendy's uses "fresh, never frozen, North American beef."

Brandweek's Alex Palmer, meanwhile, reports on Burger King's announcement than it will continue rolling out the sleek, futuristic new store designs, dubbed "20/20," that include LCD menu screens, corrugated metal and brick walls and an exterior that emphasizes the "Home of the Whopper" tagline. Remodeling has led to sales increases of 12% to 15% in the 60 or so outlets that have undergone the process so far, according to Burger King.

Patricia Odell reports in Promo that 10 winners in an essay contest sponsored by McDonald's for kids 11 to 14 will attend the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. The essay should demonstrate what the Olympic Values of friendship, excellence and respect mean to the writer, and explain why he or she should be chosen as a McDonald's Champion Kid. Shawn Johnson, an Olympic Gold Medal gymnast, is helping to promote the online contest .

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