Annie Get Your Chicken

Today, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, a division of AFC Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: AFCE), kicks off a new television and radio advertising campaign featuring a no-nonsense truth speaker--a fictional Popeyes chef named Annie.

In the spots, created by Popeyes’ creative agency-of-record GSD&M Idea City, Annie addresses off-camera consumers directly from behind the counter, engaging them with her friendly yet blunt style: “I know what you want. Hey, I knew what you wanted before you knew.” Annie’s quips are interspersed with shots of Popeyes’ signature Bonafide chicken and Louisiana tenders being marinated in Louisiana seasonings and hand battered.

The new ads will run in 15 and 30 second spots on national cable TV focusing on several new promotions.

For example, when Annie reveals an offer of two pieces of Bonafide chicken and a biscuit for just $1.99, she is straightforward in addressing the consumer, saying, “Get up off that floor ... you heard me, sweetcakes.”

As a chef, Annie is all-too-familiar with the careful preparation that goes into Popeyes’ food: “I work my fanny off making this chicken perfect, and they practically give it away.”

“We created Annie because we wanted to really capture the brand’s personality – honest, vibrant, youthful, and authentic,” says Dick Lynch, chief marketing officer, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. “Everyone has a relative or a good friend who will give it to them straight, and that’s what Annie is all about.”