Dave Thomas and the Wendy's Brand

Great article from the Advertising Fuelospophy "Fresh fuel for thought" blog about Dave Thomas and his contribution to the Wendy's brand and how he never became the brand. Here's the writeup:

Drive by any Wendy’s restaurant and you’ll see a freckled, pig-tailed illustrated red head beaming down from a towering fluorescent sign, inspired by Thomas’s daughter Melinda. This is the face of Wendy’s Old-fashioned Hamburgers.

Then in 1989, Thomas starred in his first Wendy’s TV commercial. His relaxed manner and down-to-earth pitch was an instant hit with audiences. People could relate to this man. He was passionate about good burgers. Insisted on good service. He seemed a bit shy and awkward. Dave was the burger-flipping guy next door. And you could trust him, a big plus when it comes to branding.

Dave’s story was marketing gold. From humble beginnings to restaurant mogul, Dave achieved it all through a commitment to hard work and high quality. He learned from experience, working as a busboy, franchisee and finally CEO. He was innovative. When other served frozen beef patties, Dave served fresh, square-shaped patties. His restaurant interior was homey and carpeted. He had the right vision, the right values and the right personality. He was just the right person to push, promote and represent his own brand.

So through Wendy’s PR and all-things advertising, Thomas quickly became a household name. A 1990s survey found 90% of Americans could identify Dave Thomas. He would go on to star in over 800 Wendy’s commercials plus print and in-store POP. It wasn’t long before the brand leader/spokesperson was also the face of the brand. And the red head with pigtails was relegated to the logo. That is, until Thomas passed away in 2002.

No one knew what to do. This would take more than a transition. This would take a complete brand transformation. Because no matter how compelling or how trustworthy a brand leader may be, when you make that person the face of the brand, you give that brand a lifeline.

The Wendy’s team went to work. They rolled out campaign after campaign to resuscitate the brand. In 2004, they tried using a character called “Mr. Wendy” who claimed to be the unofficial spokesperson for the chain. This attempt was far from successful. The wig campaign came later, which had Wendy’s fans wearing red pigtail wigs. This attempt was well received and caught on. But believe it or not, today Wendy’s marketing materials feature Wendy. Turn on your TV and you’re likely to see an animated red head saying, “It’s waaaaaaaaaaaay better than fast food.”

That’s the thing about cartoons. They never get old. They never die. That’s why they animated Dave’s mentor Colonel Sanders when it was no longer humanly possible for him to promote his chicken. And Orville Redenbacher can pop his gourmet popping corn posthumously in CG. The face of these brands can continue ala graphic artists. But Wendy is different. Because Wendy is not Dave.

In fact, Wendy was there all along. Only Dave unintentionally usurped her place as the face of the brand, and his marketing team let it happen. But he was so likable. Which means for thirty years Wendy acquired marginal equity as the brand’s official representative. She’s been a logo. We’ll have to see if she can make it as something more.

There can be a fine line between brand leader, brand spokesperson, brand icon and a brand’s “face.” A line that can be difficult to see and easily blurred. But defining those boundaries are a big part of building a brand’s long-term success. That’s brand strategy. Something you need to consider or else one day you could end up turning your brand leader into a cartoon.

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