In this article
- Wendy’s recently reformulated its fries for improved crispiness and heat protection.
- To incentivize customers to try them, it’s launched an ad campaign. And a guarantee.
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“Try it; you’ll like it.” That’s the message that Wendy’s is trying to get across with its new fries-centered advertising and its New Hot & Crispy Fry Guarantee.
Wendy’s took to the task of rethinking fries very seriously. It tested no less than 20 cuts to see which delivered the best results, from the first to the last fry in the pack. That’s why it is confident that “Wendy’s fry-fanatics will love the perfect balance between the hot, fluffy potato and subtle crispiness – guaranteed.”
Those of us of a certain age remember Wendy’s assaulting its competition on the burger end with the famous “Where’s the beef?“ commercials that live on to millions of views on YouTube.
The brand is still pointing to its products as superior to its competitors. Wendy’s new commercial starts out with the “You want fries with that?” offer taking a nightmarish turn, as the fries in question are cold and soggy. Then it shows the difference in its offering of fries.
Wendy’s boasts that its Hot & Crispy Fries are made with real potatoes for improved heat protection and crispiness, and perfect for dipping.” That’s why it claims it is preferred “almost 2 to :1” over McDonald’s fries.
The Hot & Crispy Guarantee, explains Wendy’s U.S. Chief Marketing Officer, Carl Loredo, is this: ”if your fries aren’t hot and crispy when you receive them, we’ll replace them, no questions asked.” He explains, “This guarantee is an expression of the trust we’ve built with our customers, assuring a high-quality, craveable experience every time.”
Now that is an important point to remember in bringing fast-food customers back. They come for the consistency of quality with certain predictability about the food being consistent if not exciting. That’s the real story of the guarantee; you can rest assured the fries are what you expect them to be, hitting the three key Ts of taste, texture, and temperature at all times.
Now, the question is – will Wendy’s do anything besides replacing the fries for unsatisfied customers? This is, after all, the real-life equivalent of a bad online experience. Finding the way to send these customers a dedicated communication, to make sure they come back for more.