McDonald’s has kicked off a new television campaign to promote its latest menu item – a Crispy Chicken Sandwich.
The spots, created with agencies Wieden+Kennedy New York and Callen, play up the iconic brand’s ability to make menu items famous by highlighting its long-lasting products including: Big Mac, Egg McMuffin, McRib, and Chicken McNuggets. The brand is positioning its chicken sandwich as just as “craveable.”
“We based the campaign around an important brand truth: Whether it’s the Big Mac, Egg McMuffin, McRib or Chicken McNuggets, McDonald’s is known for making craveable food famous,” said Jennifer Healan, McDonald’s VP of U.S. Marketing, Brand Content and Engagement. “That’s why we’re celebrating all the delicious attributes of our new Crispy Chicken Sandwich – crispy, juicy, tender – as well as our legacy of craveable food in these new commercials.”
McDonald’s is just the latest QSR to enter the crowded chicken sandwich market. The trend kicked off in the summer of 2019 when Popeyes debuted a crispy fried chicken sandwich and started social media battles with rivals Chick-Fil-A and Wendy’s, generating record sales. Since then Jack in the Box and Church’s Chicken have also joined the competition with crispy chicken sandwich offerings.
Consumer interest in the menu items seems to be going strong. Fried chicken sandwiches were the second most popular menu item delivered in 2020 according to DoorDash. McDonald’s sold out within minutes of launching the new menu item on CHKNDrop.com.
Healan said that their decision to debut the menu item was simple.
“We know our customers are craving a really great chicken sandwich,” she told Brand Innovators. “They’ve enjoyed our iconic Chicken McNuggets and the McChicken Sandwich for decades, but we’re always innovating to give them more of what they love about chicken at McDonald’s.
The commercials take a food porn approach, playing up delectable shots of the new sandwich in its three forms – Spicy, Crispy, and Deluxe. The voice-over is by actor Brian Cox (who has spoken in previous McDonald’s ads over the past year) and backed by an exclusive soundtrack created by music producer Tay Keith plays.
The new offering illustrates how menu innovation is key to even the most iconic QSR brands.
“Customers have loved McDonald’s chicken for generations, and as their tastes and preferences have evolved over the years, we’ve continued to give them more options,” said Healan. “Last fall, we introduced a new twist on a classic with our Spicy Chicken McNuggets and Mighty Hot sauce – the first flavor update to McNuggets here in the U.S. since 1983. New chicken options at breakfast like Chicken McGriddles and the McChicken Biscuit are another great example of recent innovation. Introducing the new Crispy Chicken Sandwich in the U.S. is another step on our journey to deliver great-tasting chicken for our customers.”
