Claire Thompson
The Popeyes chicken sandwich became a viral sensation in 2019, with the company selling 203 million sandwiches by the end of that year. The sandwich's popularity was driven by a combination of clever marketing strategies, social media buzz, and well-timed product launches. The sandwich's release was preceded by a tweet from rival company Chick-fil-A, claiming their sandwich as the original. Popeyes' witty response, Y'all good?, sparked the Chicken Sandwich Wars, with other fast-food chains like Wendy's joining in. This Twitter exchange created a frenzy of online activity, attracting millions of eyes to the new Popeyes sandwich. The social media craze, combined with taste tests in news outlets and reports of restaurants running out of sandwiches, created a perfect storm that catapulted Popeyes to the forefront of the fast-food industry.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Social media presence | Twitter, Facebook, Instagram |
| Comparison with competitors | Chick-fil-A, McDonald's |
| Media value | $65 million |
| Ad campaign | "BYOB" (Bring Your Own Bun) |
| Celebrity endorsements | Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson |
| Social media interactions | Memes, retweets, likes, hashtags |
| Marketing agencies | GSD&M, Gut |
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What You'll Learn
Social media wars with Chick-fil-A
The popularity of the Popeyes chicken sandwich can be attributed to a successful marketing scheme that capitalised on social media wars with Chick-fil-A. The sandwich's launch ignited a social media frenzy, with Popeyes inviting customers to perform their own taste tests and share their opinions online. This strategy played into the tribe mentality of the internet, creating a status symbol around trying the sandwich.
Chick-fil-A, the largest chicken chain in the US by sales, had long been considered the gold standard in chicken sandwiches. However, the company faced criticism for its values due to its founder's Southern Baptist beliefs, which resulted in all Chick-fil-A restaurants being closed on Sundays. Chick-fil-A also had a history of supporting organisations opposing LGBT rights and gay marriage. This presented an opportunity for Popeyes to capture a new market segment.
The "Chicken Sandwich Wars" began when Chick-fil-A tweeted a passive attack on Popeyes' new sandwich, to which Popeyes swiftly responded with a tongue-in-cheek "bless your heart" put-down. This exchange triggered a storm of retweets, likes, and hashtags, with other fast-food chains like Wendy's joining in. The feud spilled over from social media to physical stores, with one Chick-fil-A store posting a sign saying, "FYI: We Don't Run Out of Chicken Sandwiches," and Popeyes firing back with, "FYI, People Need to Eat on Sundays."
The social media war drove record sales for both companies, but it also became a logistical challenge as Popeyes struggled to keep up with demand and eventually ran out of sandwiches. The frenzy resulted in a $65 million marketing win for Popeyes, with the company gaining more followers than Chick-fil-A and seeing a significant increase in ad awareness.
Popeyes' social media strategy was characterised by its wit, snark, and humanity. They allowed customers to create their own messy, funny posts instead of controlling the narrative with pre-made content. This authenticity, combined with clever timing and an understanding of their brand tone, contributed to the success of the Popeyes chicken sandwich launch.
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Scarcity and exclusivity
Popeyes' supply could not keep up with the demand, and they soon ran out of sandwiches, causing a social media frenzy. The company's decision to sell the sandwich exclusively in restaurants for the first two days of the launch added to the exclusivity and built anticipation among consumers. This strategy, inspired by the success of Sweet Dixie years prior, directed customers to specific locations, creating a sense of inclusion for those who had access and urgency for those who didn't.
The scarcity of the sandwich also contributed to its perceived status as a symbol. As Eric Smallwood of Apex Marketing Group noted, it wasn't enough for people just to eat the sandwich; it became a way for consumers to feel included in the online conversation and a part of a tribe. The exclusivity of the sandwich heightened its desirability and made it a sought-after item, with people wanting to experience and share it with others.
The limited availability of the sandwich also played a role in Popeyes' subsequent marketing campaigns. After the sandwich sold out, Popeyes launched a "BYOB" (Bring Your Own Bun) campaign, encouraging customers to make their own sandwiches using Popeyes' chicken tenders. This campaign kept the brand in the spotlight while they worked on replenishing their supplies. The scarcity of the sandwich created an opportunity for Popeyes to engage with their customers in a creative and playful way, further enhancing the popularity of the sandwich and the brand.
The combination of scarcity, exclusivity, and clever marketing strategies contributed to the immense popularity of the Popeyes chicken sandwich. The company was able to generate a sense of urgency, build anticipation, and create a cultural symbol that resonated with consumers, all while keeping their brand at the forefront of the conversation.
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The BYOB campaign
The success of the BYOB campaign highlights the importance of adaptability and creativity in marketing. By thinking outside the box, Popeyes was able to turn a potential setback into an opportunity to further engage its customers and build anticipation for the sandwich's return. This campaign demonstrated the power of leveraging social media and viral trends to create a successful marketing strategy.
Overall, the BYOB campaign played a crucial role in the overall success of Popeyes' chicken sandwich launch, contributing to its status as a cultural phenomenon and solidifying its place in the highly competitive fast-food industry.
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Celebrity endorsements
Popeyes' chicken sandwich became a viral sensation in 2019, with the company claiming it had sold out of the sandwich across the United States by the end of August, just two weeks after its launch. The sandwich's popularity was driven by a combination of factors, including social media buzz, taste tests, and celebrity endorsements.
Popeyes' chicken sandwich became so popular that even celebrities were eager to get their hands on one. Many stars shared their thoughts on the sandwich, with some praising it and others expressing disappointment. Here are some of the celebrity endorsements that contributed to the hype:
Megan Thee Stallion
The rapper gave the sandwich her stamp of approval, stating on Instagram Live, " [Popeyes] might've did something with that one!" She later collaborated with Popeyes on a co-branded merchandise collection and a new variant of the sandwich, leveraging her influence to promote the brand and disrupt the fast-food industry.
Cardi B
The famous rapper raved about the sandwich on Instagram Live, praising how well the patty and bread complemented each other.
Justin Bieber
The singer shared his thoughts on the sandwich in a video, saying, "It's good but it's not worth the hype."
Deshaun Watson
NFL star Deshaun Watson credited the Popeyes spicy chicken sandwich with healing his injured eye. He claimed that his eye, which had been bloodshot and swollen after a football injury, improved after eating the sandwich.
Gayle King
Gayle King, a well-known media personality, was among the celebrities who enjoyed the sandwich.
Cynthia Bailey
The Real Housewives of Atlanta star Cynthia Bailey also gave the sandwich a try and shared her thoughts on Instagram Stories.
Tamar Braxton
While Tamar Braxton didn't express her thoughts verbally, her facial expressions indicated that she enjoyed the sandwich.
Quavo and Diplo
These celebrities also showed their support for the Popeyes chicken sandwich.
The endorsements from these celebrities, along with the social media buzz and taste tests, contributed to the massive popularity of the Popeyes chicken sandwich. It demonstrated the power of celebrity influence in driving consumer interest and creating a lasting impact on the brand's reputation.
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Tapping into tribe mentality
Tapping into the tribe mentality of the Internet was a key factor in the success of Popeyes' chicken sandwich launch. The campaign played on an “us versus them” narrative, creating a sense of exclusivity and camaraderie among those in the know. This tactic is particularly effective in today's social media-driven landscape, where online communities and tribes are prevalent.
The chicken sandwich wars, as they came to be known, began with a tweet from Chick-fil-A, the previous leader in chicken sandwiches. Chick-fil-A's tweet passively attacked Popeyes' new sandwich offering, to which Popeyes responded with a witty and playful put-down, "y'all good?". This sparked a Twitter frenzy, with other fast-food chains like Wendy's joining in, and the mass retweeting, liking, and hashtagging began. The conversation took off, with Dead Mufasa memes and all, and soon everyone was talking about Popeyes' chicken sandwich.
The social media storm created a sense of exclusivity and FOMO (fear of missing out). People wanted to be part of the conversation and try the sandwich for themselves. The tribe mentality was further enhanced by the sense of loyalty and advocacy that Popeyes' fans felt as they championed their favourite fast-food chain. This was particularly effective in taking on Chick-fil-A, which had previously been considered the gold standard in chicken sandwiches within the fast-food industry. However, Chick-fil-A had a dubious claim to fame due to its history of sponsoring organisations that opposed LGBT rights and its founder's religious eccentricities, such as closing all restaurants on Sundays.
Popeyes tapped into this online tribe mentality by creating a sense of unity and exclusivity around their product. They encouraged customers to join their "tribe" and be part of something special. This tactic is a modern take on traditional marketing's "bandwagon effect," where consumers are encouraged to join a popular trend. In the case of Popeyes, they created a sense of exclusivity and urgency, driving customers to their restaurants.
Additionally, Popeyes' campaign played on the idea of scarcity, with reports that their restaurants were running out of sandwiches. This created a sense of urgency and further enhanced the tribe mentality, as those who managed to get their hands on the sandwich felt a sense of accomplishment and exclusivity. The scarcity also drove people to try the sandwich before it was too late, creating a sense of urgency and FOMO. This tactic is a classic marketing strategy, playing on consumers' fear of missing out on a limited-time offer.
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Frequently asked questions
The Popeye's Chicken Sandwich War was a social media frenzy that began when Chick-fil-A tweeted about their chicken sandwich, claiming to be the originator of the product. Popeye's responded with a tweet of their own, which led to a mass of retweets, likes and hashtags. This brought Popeye's significant attention and sparked a debate that everyone on social media felt compelled to comment on.
The social media buzz generated by the Chicken Sandwich War was a huge marketing success for Popeye's. It brought the brand a lot of attention and helped raise its profile. Popeye's sold 203 million sandwiches by the end of the year and saw a 300% increase in store traffic during the peak of the campaign.
Popeye's responded to Chick-fil-A's tweet with a put-down that played on the latter's controversial anti-LGBTQ stance and southern roots: "Y'all good?". This sparked the Chicken Sandwich War and led to Popeye's receiving a lot of attention on social media.
Social media was key to the success of the Popeye's chicken sandwich. The buzz created on Twitter and other platforms brought a lot of attention to the brand and helped spread awareness of their product. This is something that would not have been possible a decade ago, according to Eric Smallwood, the president of Apex Marketing.
After the initial storm, Popeye's maintained the buzz with a second marketing act—an ad campaign that encouraged customers to bring their own buns and make sandwiches with Popeye's chicken tenders while they waited for supplies to be replenished. This kept ad awareness high and gave Popeye's time to sort out its supply chain.
