• by Teresa Buyikian , September 20, 2023

Chili’s recently released its first new national TV campaign of the fiscal year, “You Deserve Them More Than Kids Do,” which gives parents permission to enjoy the chain’s Chicken Crispers, a food typically relegated to kid’s meals. The Crispers, which are Chili’s take on the typical chicken “fingers,” “strips” or “tenders” served by other chains, are described as “bigger, better and adult-ier than a typical chicken finger or tender.”

Two :30 and two :15 TV spots, from ad agency Mischief, highlight things kids don’t have to deal with (but adults and parents do) -- which makes those grown-ups more deserving of the chicken treat.

“We found ourselves kind of annoyed that kids get all of the good things when they don’t have to deal with any of the bad things,” said Dana Buckhorn, Mischief associate creative director, in a release. “Kids don’t have pushy in-laws. They’ve never spent an hour reading reviews of compression socks. They don’t unfailingly receive artisan bars of soap for their birthday. And yet they get to order the chicken crispers while we’re expected to order a pile of wet leaves.”

One spot, entitled “Credit Score,” opens with the on-screen copy “Do kids deserve Chicken Crispers?” An interviewer sits across from various kids throughout the spot, asking “Do you worry about your credit score?” A little girl responds, “not really.” Another question, “What do you do during your summer break?” The kid’s response: “I tickle my sister.” The interviewer comments, “That’s nice. I don’t have a summer break. I used up all my vacation days in February.” The ad wraps with copy reading “Chicken Crispers. You deserve them more than kids do.”

Additional spots, “Asset Liquidity,” “Nashville” and “Pigeons,” follow the same formula, with the interviewer commenting to one little boy “So you thought inflation was about balloons?” and asking a preteen, “Have you ever spent $1000 on a bachelorette party in Nashville for a girl you kind of knew in college?” The kids’ dumbfounded looks are all the answers needed.