POPEYES® KEEPS IT REAL WITH NEW ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN
Feisty Spokesperson “Annie the Chicken Queen” Tells It Like It Is
ATLANTA, GA (March 30, 2009) – For nearly four decades, the taste of Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen has been winning fans with a bold, distinctive, unmistakably authentic taste – and now the brand is putting a human face – and voice – behind it. Today, Popeyes, a division of AFC Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: AFCE), kicks off a new television and radio advertising campaign featuring a real-life, no-nonsense mad truth speaker – a fictional Popeyes chef named Annie.
In the spots, created by Popeyes’ creative agency-of-record GSD&M Idea City, Annie addresses off-camera consumers directly from behind the counter, engaging them with her friendly yet blunt style: “I know what you want. Hey, I knew what you wanted before you knew.” Annie’s quips are interspersed with mouth-watering shots of Popeyes’ signature Bonafide™ chicken and Louisiana tenders being marinated in Louisiana seasonings and hand battered.
The new ads will run in :15 and :30 second spots on national cable TV focusing on several new promotions. For example, when Annie reveals an offer of two pieces of Bonafide™ chicken and a biscuit for just $1.99, she is straightforward in addressing the consumer, like when she says, “Get up off that floor...you heard me, sweetcakes.” As a chef, Annie is all-too-familiar with the careful preparation that goes into Popeyes’ food: “I work my fanny off making this chicken perfect, and they practically give it away.”
“We created Annie because we wanted to really capture the brand’s personality – honest, vibrant, youthful and authentic,” said Dick Lynch, chief marketing officer, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. “Everyone has a relative or a good friend who will give it to them straight, and that’s what Annie is all about.”
In addition, the Annie campaign is another opportunity for Popeyes to further distinguish itself among quick-serve restaurants. Lynch explains that in the category, most of the major companies feature animated or cartoon characters, not ‘real’ people. “Popeyes is the only real choice for delicious, Louisiana-inspired cooking, and we wanted our spokesperson to be as genuine as our food,” he explained.
About Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen: Founded in 1972 in New Orleans, Popeyes is a leader in the New Orleans segment of the foodservice industry and is the world’s second largest quick-service chicken concept based on number of units. As of December 28, 2008, Popeyes had 1,922 restaurants in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam and 25 foreign countries. For more information, visit www.popeyes.com.
# # #
Contact:
Jasmine LyonsJackie Tate
CooperKatz on behalf of Popeyes® Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen
