Wendy's executives say that while its recently discarded red wig campaign broke through clutter and "did a lot of good things," it was wrong to base its strategy on being cool. Calling the
campaign "polarizing," CEO Kerrii Anderson says, "we can't be something we aren't."
A new $435-million campaign breaking today bears the slogan: "It's waaaay better than fast food. It's
Wendy's." The first spot launches a premium fish-fillet sandwich. Others will highlight the chain's claim that its burgers are fresh, never frozen. Wendy's will also update menu boards and
point-of-purchase displays to reflect the look and feel of the advertising.
Before finalizing the campaign, Wendy's conducted tests in five markets pitting the new Kirshenbaum Bond ads against the red-wig ads from former agency Saatchi & Saatchi, according to Wendy's vice president-brand management Bob Holtcamp. "What consumers fed back was this new approach was more true to the fundamental principles of the brand," he says.
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