Apparently Pete Suerken, Wendy’s U.S.
president, could use some assistance in the tasting department.
This week the chain begun a search for what it calls its first-ever Chief Tasting Officer, a new “honorary”
position. The search kicked off following Suerken’s video response, seen here, to
McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski’s viral tasting video, where Suerken playfully pokes fun at McDonald’s often broken ice cream machines while taking huge bites of a Wendy’s
Baconator.
The chief tasting officer campaign began via the chain's social media over the last several days, with a multitude of humorous posts about the job. One such post, seen here, shows a screen shot from Kempczinski’s video taking a (small) bite of the Big Arch burger, along with the copy, “Our first chief
tasting officer application is in, and let’s just say the bar is low. Apply now and make your video more than a McNibble.”
advertisement
advertisement
Requirements for the gig, which also comes with $100,000
prize, is “someone who can bring the vibes, creativity and taste buds to the table in ways no one else can.”
“The response has been incredible and exactly what we hoped for
– high energy, high creativity and a lot of genuine enthusiasm,” said Lindsay Radkoski, U.S. CMO, The Wendy's Company, in a release. “We're inviting fans to bring their genuine love
for Wendy's into the spotlight. This isn't a corporate role – it's a cultural one, designed to celebrate real opinions, real taste and real brand love.”
Consumers can apply for the
job by posting a one-minute video that “showcases their Wendy's passion, personality and palate” either directly to the chain’s TikTok or Instagram using the hashtag
#WendysCTOContest and tagging @Wendys as part of the caption. Applicants can also submit privately here. The deadline is March 30 at 11:59 p.m.
EST.
Wendy’s will select the top 10 candidates based on criteria such as “creativity, brand love, personality and potential.” The winning chief tasting officer will be tasked
with “represent[ing] the brand through engaging social content, highlighting their unique personality and passion.”