Coffee Break: Wendy’s #BBQ4merica campaign gets hammy for BBQ Pulled Pork

Wendy’s has been on a roll — probably a pretzel roll? — in the past year with its social-video strategy, taking direct aim at Millennials with videos that combine their new products, tweets and Facebook comments from fans, and celebrities chock-full of irony and nostalgia for the ’90s. The campaigns around the Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger, starring Nick Lachey and Boyz II Men, were particularly inspired, if irreverent. With its “#BBQ4merica” social-video campaign, fans are getting more of the same. Wendy’s has three new products to introduce, the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich, BBQ Pulled Pork Cheeseburger and BBQ Pulled Pork fries. It has lined up a real murderer’s row of nostalgic celebrities for its mock PSA: Alfonso Ribeiro, better known as Carlton Banks from “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air”; Ralph Macchio, best known for “The Karate Kid”; and professional wrestler “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. The melodramatic execution of the spot is as flawless as Daniel-san’s crane kick to win the All Valley Karate Tournament. The stars want to use their celebrity to spread awareness of barbecue and bring it to underprivileged areas without good barbecue, like Miami Beach and Malibu. With three menu items and three different sauces, they add, “the possibilities are literally … nine.”