I'm sure you remember the now famous "Where's the Beef?" ads (the ones with the three old ladies and the fluffy bun). I remember how good those commercials were and that they were spot on in defining the Wendy's brand in a clear and focused way. Those ads were great! But in the years since the death of Mr. Thomas, and with the several failed Marketing campaigns, the brand's image has struggled to find its place.
In an attempt to stay near the top, Wendy's latest Marketing campaign is capitalizing on a differentiating factor that they've really always had - freshness. People tend to respond to that difference when they have a choice between eating foods that have never been frozen and the alternative, at least that's the idea. In one of their commercial spots they poke fun at other burger providers who are wearing coats while taking frozen hamburger patties out of the freezer.
Another aspect of the campaign is the slogan, "You Know When it's Real." I think this could be an effective strategy - people can generally relate to the concept of real vs. fake. Using a little bit of humor to highlight their fresh ingredients is not much different than the concept that brought us the "Where's the Beef" ads in the nineties. In an effective campaign, humor can be used to capture the audience's attention while drilling home the point of fresh ingredients.
So will this be a leg up for Wendy's? I mean, this isn't a new concept since they've never used frozen beef patties. What's different this time? Wendy's CEO, Ken Calwell, has said that the key to the freshness concept is using the word "real." Wendy's has spent a significant amount of time researching this and they are banking on the term because they think it will resonate with people. I agree. And with so many failed marketing campaigns, I think it's time they get "real".
Another aspect of the campaign is the slogan, "You Know When it's Real." I think this could be an effective strategy - people can generally relate to the concept of real vs. fake. Using a little bit of humor to highlight their fresh ingredients is not much different than the concept that brought us the "Where's the Beef" ads in the nineties. In an effective campaign, humor can be used to capture the audience's attention while drilling home the point of fresh ingredients.
So will this be a leg up for Wendy's? I mean, this isn't a new concept since they've never used frozen beef patties. What's different this time? Wendy's CEO, Ken Calwell, has said that the key to the freshness concept is using the word "real." Wendy's has spent a significant amount of time researching this and they are banking on the term because they think it will resonate with people. I agree. And with so many failed marketing campaigns, I think it's time they get "real".
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Unfortunately, I don't think this new line lives up to "where's the beef." As a tagline, it's a bit forced. The "where's the beef" line was a great metaphorical (and surprisingly aspirational) way to point out that Wendy's offered food of substance and of higher quality in an over-processed world. The problem with this new "real" idea is that it has been done many times by other brands and therefore doesn't stand out. It has become an over used marketing platitude. In this case, the role of advertising should be to force consumers to experience the brand truth in a new way. This line doesn't cut it.
That said, some of the new ads are good and provide "real" insight into the food (e.g. the alluring smell of bacon). I look forward to watching the campaign unfold. I hope they prove me wrong.