Redhead redemption: US burger chain Wendy’s launches first campaign in Australia
Following the appointment of an Australian CMO last month, US burger chain Wendy’s has launched the first of several “unapologetically sassy” campaigns locally, via Today The Brave and Burson.
To celebrate World Redhead Day, which took place on Friday, Wendy’s Australia launched ‘Redhead Redemption’. Elevating redheads to “VIP status” — just like its leading lady — the activation gave anyone with red hair the chance to claim a free burger meal at the burger chain’s first local store on Cavill Avenue in Surfer’s Paradise.
Due to the hype, there were non-redheads looking to get in on the action too. To make the event as inclusive as possible, Wendy’s rewarded them too, only if they were willing to “make a red-hot effort and transform into redheads in solidarity” with the redheaded community.
Said to mark the beginning of Wendy’s “unapologetically sassy” local marketing activity, the campaign was led by indie creative agency Today The Brave and WPP’s recently-merged PR arm, Burson. It ran across influencer, social, OOH, and earned activity.
According to a media release, it aims to foster brand confidence and enhance Wendy’s position within the highly competitive fast-food market in Australia.
This doesn’t seem to be a concern though. Speaking to Mumbrella last month, the brand’s recently-appointed CMO, Corina Black, said it has ambitious plans down under, and isn’t too stressed about the competition.
According to Black, within the next ten years, Wendy’s hopes to have stores in 200 locations across the country, following the hype of its flagship store launch earlier this year.
From first teasers and announcements, Black said there was “fan-driven, huge social momentum”, which was a “testament to Wendy’s global brand equity”.
She said: “The foundation is really, really strong here and there’s a great opportunity for us now to build on that.”
Vince Osmond, creative partner at Today The Brave, told Mumbrella Wendy’s wasn’t keen on doing a “lift and shift” of its US marketing activity, which is where the agency came in — to bring the local nuance.
“We’re taking the Wendy’s spirit but applying an Australian lens to it,” he said. “It’s a different culture, there are different responses and insights.”
The agency has been working with Wendy’s for about six months, and as a fellow up-and-comer, the ambitions have aligned from the get go: “As an agency, we’re also hungry to grow.”
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And while the rest of the local fast food category is filled with “clowns and colonels”, Osmond said the recent activation provided an opportunity to “flex a sassy girl” — the first female icon in fast food.
“We’re echoing the tone of the brand, Wendy’s harnesses that sassy energy, and we’re bringing that here.”
Burson ANZ’s deputy market lead, Jessie Gogan, seconded, saying in a media release: “It’s a fiery, feel-good moment that’s all about having fun, turning heads, and earning a tasty reward while we’re at it.”
Wendy’s is not the only US-founded fast food business making moves in the Australian market at the moment.
Wingstop officially launched earlier this month with the conviction our local market has no major food chain focusing specifically on wings. It plans to fill this gap, by setting up in every Australian capital city , with the aim of having more than 100 stores by 2035.
Several other US chains, however, have found it difficult to succeed in Australia.
Carl’s Jr exited the Australian market last July, and last month, Taco Bell’s local licensee Collins Foods announced it will look to sell off its 27 Australian local stores, with plans to exit by next year.
Pizza chain Little Caesars launched locally in 2014, but had wound up in 2019, while burger chain Five Guys, who opened its first Australian store in 2021, has only added four more to its tally, an average of one store a year.
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Whilst i always love when a brand has a bit of fun, surely Wendy’s (and the agencies they’ve appointed) would know that Ronald McDonald has not been used in any meaningful way since 2016, and whilst the character remains synonymous with the brand, it’s an extremely dated reference for a new entrant to be making. The quote “…is filled with clowns and colonels…” reiterates this. Why would they choose to make such a mistake? For a Gen Z / Alpha audience, who they will no doubt profess to be going after, I’m not sure there would even be awareness of the aforementioned clown.