It’s Phoenix or bust for Wendy’s. On Selection Sunday, Wendy’s will kick off its partnership and title as the Official Hamburger of the NCAA with the Drive to the Final Four. A three-week long road trip that celebrates NCAA fans’ dedication to going great lengths, the Wendy’s Drive to the Final Four road trip will honor commitment to going the extra mile for what you love, like always serving hamburgers made with fresh, never frozen beef1 or driving hundreds of miles to support your team.
“The name of the game is Unreasonable Effort for a high quality result, and Wendy’s has plenty of it,” says Kurt Kane, chief concept and marketing officer of Wendy’s. “It’s what ensures that every hamburger at Wendy’s is made with fresh, never frozen beef, while most other hamburger places are thawing frozen patties. We don’t believe anyone should settle for frozen beef.”
Built to celebrate the unreasonable effort shared by Wendy’s and NCAA fans alike, the Drive to the Final Four will encompass everything that makes this partnership great: food and sports.
Kicking off on Selection Sunday, March 12, and ending on Final Four Weekend in Phoenix, March 31—April 3, the road trip will stop at three college campuses—Xavier University, Butler University and University of Louisville—and at the first and second round tournament in Indianapolis, the Midwest regional tournament in Kansas City and the Final Four Championship Tournament.
At each stop, Wendy’s Food Truck will be serving up free samples of fresh, never frozen cheeseburgers and fans will have a chance to win Unreasonable Upgrades –like gift cards and upgraded game tickets for regional tournaments. They can test their basketball skills in fresh experiences like the Tip-Off Tailgate event in Phoenix or show-off their game winning shot on their social media channels with our “Don’t Get Frozen in the Moment” slow motion photo opp.
Fans are invited to take part in March Madness by filling out the one-of-a-kind Fresh, Never-Frozen #WendysBracket—the first-ever bracket builder on Twitter. Fans can answer a series of fresh questions that will automatically generate brackets, or pick by game via quick-fill options, all through Direct Messages on @Wendys. Scoring updates, prize giveaways, and redemption bracket opportunities will be offered throughout the March Madness tournament.
Nothing is more unreasonable than the level of engagement that Wendy’s fans have on social media. To celebrate that enthusiasm, Wendy’s is bringing the Drive to the Final Four road trip to those loyal fans that can’t experience the fun in person. Follow the official hashtag #Drive2theFinal4 as we chronicle the road trip on Wendy’s social media channels—including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Tune in to see Jay Bilas, American college basketball analyst for ESPN and YouTube stars like King Bach guiding fans through each stop and sharing their thoughts on the competition.
