Wendy's Daring New Marketing Campaign Is Drumming Up Social Media Buzz

This week, Wendy's took a daring approach to promote its breakfast menu launch by locking its Twitter account, giving followers an exclusive online coupon for a free Breakfast Baconator sandwich. The offer was a way to reward loyal followers of Wendy's Twitter account, which has become notorious for its sassy, meme-friendly tweets that regularly insult rival QSR brands. 

Although it's rare for major franchise brands to lock down their official accounts, it's a proven growth-hacking strategy for popular meme accounts and some influencers. Wendy's received more than 10,000 follower requests in a 36-hour period after locking its Twitter account in the run-up to this week's campaign. 

While the account was locked, Wendy's asked its 3.6 million Twitter followers to roast competitors in posts with the #WendysBreakfastBattle hashtag. The company posted the most popular tweets on a video billboard in New York City's Times Square. Since one of four consumers said they've posted an image of an outdoor ad to Instagram, social media sharing is a powerful way to extend real-world advertising into the digital world and extend its reach.

Wendy's has a history of innovative digital marketing strategies meant to cut through ad clutter and connect with audiences. The burger chain last fall was the first company to create branded video games in a digital arcade launched by Giphy, the platform of shareable GIF clips. Last year, Wendy’s prioritized interactive content aimed at engaging younger, mobile audiences with a branded experience. The burger chain engaged with fans on the hit online game, "Fortnite," creating a Wendy's avatar and returned to Twitch last summer to play the game while live-streaming the action.

Social media is proving to be one of the most powerful marketing tools available to franchisors. With online promotional stunts leading to overwhelming demands and record sales, brands like Wendy’s are smart to continue pushing the boundaries.