Wendy's® Takes Consumers' Pretzel Passion to New Musical Heights

Wendy's® Takes Consumers' Pretzel Passion to New Musical Heights

#PretzelLoveSongs Videos Make a Comeback With Help From Best-Selling R&B Group Boyz II Men

DUBLIN, Ohio, July 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Baby, it's back: Wendy's(®) announced today the return of its #PretzelLoveSongs campaign, the next release of music videos that traces the pretzel bun love affair. From the heartbreak of when the pretzel bun left restaurants to the joy of its return, Wendy's is singing the love story as told by consumers' over-the-top social media posts.

http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20140701/123517

To celebrate the return of Wendy's Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger and Pretzel Pub Chicken, the company is asking consumers to share their joy of being reunited with their beloved pretzel bun on social channels with the hashtag #PretzelLoveSongs. The most love-filled social media posts will be turned into lyrics of full-fledged songs performed in a three-part series of music videos. The first video in the series launched on Wendy's Facebook page today: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152553013894489

Best-selling R&B group Boyz II Men will bring their legendary slow jams to dramatize the passion and reunited pretzel love in one video, and two-time Grammy award-winning recording artist Jon Secada will serenade Hispanic fans with his pretzel bun "amor" music video performance - a bilingual love song using consumer-generated Tweets. These videos will be released in the coming weeks.

"We're taking Wendy's most successful, consumer-driven digital campaign to the next level this year - dialing up the humor with full-length songs and bringing in love song legends to help us," said Craig Bahner, Wendy's Chief Marketing Officer. "We're connecting all elements of our marketing campaign around it because while we take our food very seriously, we don't take ourselves too seriously. Our #PretzelLoveSongs campaign gives us an opportunity to have fun with consumers' real feedback and celebrate their love and passion for the pretzel bun."

Turning Up the Volume on the Integrated Marketing Campaign
Few buns have created the social buzz of Wendy's pretzel bun. To amplify the #PretzelLoveSongs program, Wendy's advertising, social/digital, public relations, Hispanic and merchandising channels are harmonized through common themes of love and music.

For the first time, Wendy's is officially introducing the familiar face from its television and radio commercials to fans by name - as "Red." Red herself will be the star of her own music videos in several TV spots - using her actual voice - in national musical professions of love lost and found that are inspired by the dramatic love songs of the 90s.

"Consumers already know Red's personality from our past campaigns," said Bahner. "Now they'll be able to put a name to a face that has been a part of the Wendy's brand for the past several years."

Wendy's will also be passing the microphone to consumers to let them sing their pretzel hearts out at local activations in select markets. Through the local market karaoke booth, pretzel fans will be able to sing a pretzel love song and create their own music video to share online with their pretzel groupies.

For Hispanic fans, the Rojo family will be surprised by Secada in Hispanic television and radio spots as they listen to lonely heartbreak songs on the car radio.

Wendy's point-of-sale merchandising encourages consumers to "fall in love with pretzel all over again" and to use the #PretzelLoveSongs on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

"These efforts are a reflection of our consumer-driven brand transformation," said Bahner. "We have transformed our Marketing model to engage consumers where, when and how they want to be engaged, on a one-to-one basis."

Fall in Love with Pretzel All Over Again
Wendy's is bringing back both of its pretzel bun offerings this summer. Its Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger features a warm cheddar cheese sauce, center-cut Applewood Smoked Bacon and smoky honey mustard. The fresh, never frozen juicy beef(*) hamburger patty is garnished with a slice of cheddar cheese, sliced red onions, hand-cut tomato and fresh, spring mix made with nine different greens. The Pretzel Pub Chicken sandwich is layered with pub-inspired flavors, including a slice of rich, buttery Muenster cheese, sweet and savory honey mustard and a warm cheddar cheese sauce. Its lightly breaded all-white meat chicken breast is topped with hand-sliced tomatoes and fresh spring mix.

About Wendy's
The Wendy's Company is the world's third largest quick-service hamburger company. The Wendy's system includes more than 6,500 franchise and Company restaurants in the United States and 29 countries and U.S. territories worldwide. For more information, visit www.wendys.com or www.aboutwendys.com.

Available at participating Wendy's.
*Fresh ground beef served in the contiguous U.S. and Canada.


MEDIA CONTACTS:

Frank Vamos Janna Chapman

614-764-8477 404-879-9159
Janna.Chapman@ketchum.com
Frank.Vamos@wendys.com


Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140701/123517

SOURCE The Wendy's Company

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140701/123517
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
The Wendy's Company

Web Site: http://www.wendys.com


-------
Profile: intent