• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, February 1, 2018

In its second Super Bowl outing, Wendy’s is turning up the heat by calling out McDonald’s, by name, for using frozen beef in its burgers.

The 30-second ad, from VML, is scheduled to air during the first quarter.

The spot (below) cites a statement from McDonalds.com: “Our beef is flash frozen to seal in flavor.” That’s followed by Wendy’s’ observation that “The iceberg that sank the Titanic was frozen too. (Just sayin’).”

Messaging accompanying close-ups of Wendy’s’ burgers declares: “We only use fresh, never frozen beef on every hamburger, every day, so they’re hot, juicy and made when you order. Skip the hamburgers at the Frozen Arches. Head to Wendy’s and try a Dave’s Double so you can taste the difference for yourself.”

Wendy’s’ decision to take McDonald’s on directly — going beyond its criticism of “Other Guyz” frozen beef in its Super Bowl spot last year — reflects McDonald’s’ 2017 announcement that as of 2018, it would start using fresh beef in its Quarter Pounders at most locations. (It’s also been reported, though not confirmed by the brand, that McD’s is testing fresh beef in a new premium “Archburger.”) McDonald’s’ last test of fresh beef more than 20 years ago, in a premium Arch Deluxe burger, was a short-lived failure.  

Writing recently in the Wendy’s blog, chief marketing officer Kurt Kane contrasted his chain’s use of fresh burger since its launch in 1969 to McDonald’s’ “tepid plans to update only one [the Quarter Pounder] of their many burgers from frozen to fresh meat. As a proud server of fresh, never frozen beef in every hamburger, every day, we couldn’t stand for this and reminded consumers that no one does fresh beef like us.”

The Super Bowl ad creative is also meant to “take the sassiness and charm that [Wendy’s] fans have come to love on social and translate that voice to TVs across America,” confirms a representative for the brand. 

Wendy’s has not hesitated to troll McDonald’s, by name, on its Twitter account. Case in point: Asked to compliment McDonald’s on “National Compliment Day” on Jan. 24, Wendy’s’ tweet reply was, “They are absolutely amazing at freezing beef.”