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Thighstop
Agency Leo Burnett / Chicago + Wingstop / Chicago + MSL Group / Chicago + Publicis Connect / Chicago
Category
Non-traditional & Guerrilla Marketing
Annual ID
OS22_DM087M
About the Work
In 2021, American restaurants were facing an unparalleled shortage in chicken wings, one of the country’s most popular foods. As a result Wingstop, a chicken wing brand built on the mission of “serving the world flavor”, was faced with an unimaginable challenge - how do you keep the lights on when your brand, and your business, depends on wings?
Chicken wing fans everywhere rushed to social media to express panic and outrage about the category-wide shortage. They cited lower quality, higher prices or worse: no wings at all. However, the solution to these complaints was far closer than anyone thought. In fact, it was already on the chicken.
Thanks to America’s preference for chicken breast, the oft-overlooked chicken thigh was the one part of the supply not yet exhausted. All it took was for a brand to be brave enough to go all in, with a product and campaign innovation that could change the industry overnight.
In eight weeks, Wingstop pivoted it’s entire business and launched Thighstop, to directly target wing-obsessed consumers experiencing the shortage. The message of “try thighs” came from an entire brand and product solution tailor made for the flavor experience chicken wing fans were craving. Year over year sales skyrocketed 10%, with 60% of sales coming from new customers proving the entire wing-eating world saw, and craved, our solution.
Chicken wing fans everywhere rushed to social media to express panic and outrage about the category-wide shortage. They cited lower quality, higher prices or worse: no wings at all. However, the solution to these complaints was far closer than anyone thought. In fact, it was already on the chicken.
Thanks to America’s preference for chicken breast, the oft-overlooked chicken thigh was the one part of the supply not yet exhausted. All it took was for a brand to be brave enough to go all in, with a product and campaign innovation that could change the industry overnight.
In eight weeks, Wingstop pivoted it’s entire business and launched Thighstop, to directly target wing-obsessed consumers experiencing the shortage. The message of “try thighs” came from an entire brand and product solution tailor made for the flavor experience chicken wing fans were craving. Year over year sales skyrocketed 10%, with 60% of sales coming from new customers proving the entire wing-eating world saw, and craved, our solution.
2022 Awards
Total Points: 3
Merit
Credits
Agency
Leo Burnett / Chicago
PR / Marketing Agency
MSL Group / Chicago
Client / Brand
Wingstop / Chicago
Production Company
MK Films / Chicago
The Funnel Creative / Atlanta
Music / Sound Production Company
Another Country / Chicago
Editorial Company
Harbor / Los Angeles
The Den / Los Angeles
Media Distribution Company
Publicis Connect / Chicago
Art Director
Erin McGaughey
Director
Cliqua
Darren Weninger
Executive Producer
Rock Darlington
Photographer
Clint Blowers
Producer
Erica Johnson
Adriana Loayza
Strategist
Sean Logan
Account Executive
Charissa Fort
Account Supervisor
Allie Plantery
Meg Patrick
Zoe Krey
Senior Copywriter
Damian Isaak
Senior Producer
Laurie Gustafson
Tara Wert
Assistant Account Executive
Amber Mekled
Associate Creative Director, Art
James Lee
Associate Creative Director, Copy
Ben Doessel
Associate Media Director
Tara Ounan
Business Leadership, EVP
Bianca Bradford
Debbie Myszynski
Chief Strategy Officer
Aki Spicer
Creative Director (Art)
Matt McNulty
Creative Director (Copy)
Ben Pfutzenreuter
Creative Resource Director
Kevin Brown
Customer Relationship Management Company
Hawkeye / Dallas
Director Performance Media
Janna Sacro
Executive Vice President, Executive Creative Director
Mikal Pittman
Executive Vice President, Head of Business Leadership
Mark Burgess
Executive Vice President, Head of Integrated Production
Mike Davidson
Executive Vice President, Strategy Director
Christopher Bridgland
Global Chief Creative Officer of Leo Burnett Worldwide & Chief Creative Officer of Publicis Creative North America
Liz Taylor
Investment Director
Inga Sheehan
Junior Art Director
Shannon Parr
Photography
Clint Blowers Photography / Chicago
Production Designer
Alex Alvarez
Senior Account Executive
Caroline Kelly
Senior Production Artist
David Webster
Senior Strategist
Lindsey Summers
Senior Strategist
Megan Collins
Supervisor Performance Media
Lauren Kurash
Vice President Client Partner
Allison Cox
Vice President Creative Director
Erin Maiorana
Vice President Media Strategy
Kathryn Peevey
Vice President Strategy
Julia Botsko
Vice President
Grant Keller
VP Account Director
Jamie Mack
VP Core Data & Analytics?
Sejal Sura
VP Director
Laura Johnson
VP, Account Director
Amy Walloch
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