• by Teresa Buyikian , Yesterday

Choosing an entrée at Panera can be overwhelming, especially when you’re the star of a hot teen drama featuring confusing love triangles.

Panera has tapped Chris Briney, the star of Amazon Prime’s teen romance series  “The Summer I Turned Pretty” for its latest online creative work. Except here Briney isn’t choosing between two beautiful co-stars.

In the spot, seen here, Briney gazes longingly into the camera, melodramatically exclaiming, “I don’t know what to do. I’m torn between two things.” He continues to wax philosophically about doing what is right versus following his heart, wishing “it didn’t have to be like this.”

The camera then pulls back to reveal Briney is actually standing in a Panera staring at the menu, torn between a sandwich and a salad. The employee behind the counter informs Briney that he can actually have both with the You Pick Two menu. “It’s not that deep,” he states as Briney marvels at the options before him. “I wish life was like Panera,” Briney says at the end.

“Chris Briney is having a major moment in pop culture and is known for navigating difficult decisions on-screen, which made him the perfect partner to help tell the story that at Panera, you never have to choose,” Mark Shambura, Panera Bread CMO, told Marketing Daily. “The content is lighthearted, rooted in a cultural moment, and celebrates the simple joy of getting exactly what you want.”

Created by Digitas Pictures, the work runs online and on YouTube, Instagram and other social media platforms.

“Digital campaigns like this are a key part of how we connect with our guests -- meeting them in the cultural conversation and on the platforms that they engage with most,” added Shambura. “This partnership is a great example of how we blend the right cultural moments, relevant talent and brand storytelling to spark connection.”