Sunday, February 11, 2024

So, Gen Z and Millennials Relate Well to Popeyes

 


Popeyes Chicken, the classic fast-food chain that has been serving spicy, New Orleans style chicken since 1972, has recently experienced a surge of popularity among younger generations. Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® believes that customer focused relevant messaging including a Super Bowl ad will drive continued engagement.   

So, let’s look at some of the reasons why, a viral marketing campaign that sparked a social media frenzy over its new chicken sandwich.

The chicken sandwich, which was launched in August 2019, quickly sold out in two weeks, as customers lined up to try the crispy, juicy, and flavorful product. Popeyes cleverly ignited a Twitter war with its rival Chick-fil-A, which claimed to have the original and superior chicken sandwich. The online debate drew in millions of users, who posted memes, videos, and reviews of the sandwiches, creating a massive amount of free publicity for Popeyes.


According to Apex Marketing, the social media explosion generated approximately $65 million in equivalent ad revenue for Popeyes, based on the number of impressions and mentions it received across various platforms. Popeyes also gained more followers on Twitter in a single week than it had in two years, reaching a wider and younger audience.

The success of the chicken sandwich was not just a one-time phenomenon. Popeyes has continued to capitalize on its momentum by launching new products, such as the Cajun Flounder Sandwich and the Blackened Chicken Sandwich, that appeal to the taste preferences of Gen Z and Millennials. These generations are known for their love of spicy food, constant snacking, and adventurous eating habits. Popeyes has also leveraged its brand identity as a fun, authentic, and culturally diverse chain that resonates with the values and aspirations of these generations.

Popeyes has proven that viral marketing can be a powerful tool to attract and retain customers, especially in the highly competitive and saturated fast-food industry. By creating a buzz-worthy product, engaging with its fans and critics on social media, and staying true to its roots, Popeyes has established itself as a leader in the chicken sandwich category and a favorite among Gen Z and Millennials.


Yes, Popeyes has unveiled its first-ever Super Bowl commercial featuring actor, writer, and comedian Ken Jeong trying the famous brands’ new Wings for the first time.

This funny commercial is based on Jeong, who cryogenically froze himself 52 years ago waiting for the best-ever wing to be created. Jeong is unfrozen to discover Popeyes has permanently launched Wings in five delicious flavors – along with many other changes from 52 years ago, including drones, driverless cars, scooters, and new breeds of doodle dogs.

The advertisement was created by Popeyes in partnership with its creative agency, McKinney, and was directed by filmmaker and MTV Video Music and Grammy Award Winner Calmatic, who is well known for directing movies like House Party and White Men Can’t Jump. 



Sami Siddiqui, President of Popeyes North America, stated, “Football and Wings is the all-American pairing, so we couldn’t think of a better time to go all-in on launching our new wing line up than during the Super Bowl,” … “Ken Jeong is a comedic genius who really makes this commercial a lot of fun to watch.”

Popeyes new wings in five delicious flavors are available nationwide starting at $5.99 for 6-pieces: 

·         Ghost Pepper: The perfect balance of flavor and fire.  

·         Sweet ‘N Spicy: A sweet and spicy blend of chili, garlic and ginger.

·         Honey BBQ Wings: Tangy and sweet, like a good BBQ should be.   

·         Roasted Garlic Parmesan: The perfect blend of roasted garlic and parmesan cheese.   

·         Signature Hot: Nice and spicy with just a dash of southern sweetness

Looking for success clues of your own? Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced food marketing and business development ideations. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities, technology, or a new menu product segment.  Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

 










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