‘That’s right’: Wendy’s slogan returns in ‘Idol’ ad

DUBLIN, Ohio — Wendy’s International Inc., still struggling to connect with customers in its advertising as it did when founder Dave Thomas appeared in the hamburger chain’s commercials, rolled out a new campaign on one of television’s biggest stages Wednesday night.

The campaign, which debuted during the season finale of “American Idol,” is built on the slogan “That’s right.” It’s a new twist on an old standard that Thomas relied on in the more than 800 ads he appeared in over 12 years for the No. 3 hamburger chain before his 2002 death: The use of humor to emphasize Wendy’s made-to-order food and unfrozen beef that set it apart from its competitors.

“Wendy’s has got this great legacy and heritage,” said Kevin Roberts, Worldwide CEO for ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi. “I think many agencies have struggled with how do you replace Dave. I think here we haven’t replaced him. We’ve taken what he said and what he thought and given it to the consumer. Now Dave is not the boss, but the consumer is the boss.”

The ads are the first since Wendy’s went back to the New York-based agency that created its popular 1980s campaign in which an old woman asked of other chain’s hamburgers: “Where’s the beef?”

The campaign comes at a time of uncertainty for the chain, which ranks behind McDonald’s Corp. and Burger King Holdings Inc. with 6,300 stores in North America and 300 overseas. The 60-second ad on “American Idol,” called “Kicking Trees,” begins with hundreds of people kicking trees in the woods with their heads down, symbolizing the idea of everyone doing the same thing.

A young man — wearing a red wig that looks like the pigtails donned by Wendy, the chain’s mascot based on Thomas’ daughter of the same name — begins thinking he does not need to eat a hamburger cooked from frozen beef. He then begins to yell that he deserves a hot, juicy burger.

“I deserve a hot, juicy burger because I have a mouth,” he said. “And it wants one!”

The crowd around him begins to shout “Hot, juicy burger! Hot, juicy burger!” The ad concludes with “Fresh never frozen. Wendy’s. That’s right.”

Other ads will begin to run this week. “Every idea pushes off the concept that something is not right and says Wendy’s is right,” Rowden said.