Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, a division of AFC Enterprises Inc., launched a major marketing and advertising initiative designed to underscore the results of a national taste test between Popeyes’ Spicy and Mild Bonafide bone-in fried chicken and KFC Original Recipe fried chicken. The integrated campaign, which heralds the fact that Popeyes beat KFC in a taste test, is the most significant marketing push in the company’s history.
“We have a strong data-driven decision making process at Popeyes and that focus has allowed us to grow market share at a time when other brands are losing theirs,” says Cheryl Bachelder, CEO for Popeyes. “We took a careful look at case histories and the success of competitive claims from a host of other brands and used those results to drive our decision to make official what we have always known. Popeyes simply tastes better. Now that we have that independent data, we are using it to invite our guests to come in and see why America loves that chicken from Popeyes.”
The campaign pays homage to Popeyes’ rich culinary heritage, celebrating its recipe-inspired Bonafide bone-in fried chicken. National television spots featuring brand spokesperson “Annie” began airing yesterday.
“Our brand heritage is what defines us,” says Richard Lynch, chief marketing officer for Popeyes. “We are confident our authentic, distinctive food, marinated and cooked in the tradition of our Louisiana roots, is what fueled customer preference and this exciting taste test win. We know one of the keys to our continued success is to stay true to our brand heritage.”
Popeyes kicked off the campaign in New York’s Times Square last week, where hundreds of Popeyes fans donned the brand’s signature spicy orange in celebration of the taste test win.
