By Ramon Cristian Rocha Silva – Broadwell College of Business and Economics, Fayetteville State University
This post is part of a marketing class project (MKTG 640: Modern Marketing)
In this blog post, I’ll present a supposed advertising analysis of two Wendy’s commercials I observed, as part of a class assignment. While I do not have access to official marketing data or insights from Wendy’s, the analysis below represents a hypothetical interpretation of the brand’s recent advertising efforts—based on academic frameworks in marketing, consumer psychology, and branding strategy.
Supposed Goal: Attract Younger Consumers to Build Long-Term Loyalty
It’s reasonable to suppose that Wendy’s recent advertising initiatives aim to target younger demographics, including teens, college students, and young parents. These consumers represent a valuable market segment that, once engaged, could offer a higher Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) for the brand.
CLV is a key concept in modern marketing—it refers to the total revenue a business expects from a customer throughout their relationship. By appealing to young audiences early, brands can establish long-term habits and loyalty.
Ad Analysis 1: The $1 Drink – Hypothetical Strategy to Drive Foot Traffic
🎯 Supposed Target Audience:
Teens and young adults who value convenience and low prices.
💬 Supposed Message:
“Stop by Wendy’s anytime and enjoy any-size drinks for just one dollar.” This promotion hypothetically encourages casual, low-commitment visits, especially during social activities.
🧠 Marketing Assumptions:
It’s possible that the $1 drink offer is being used as a loss leader—a pricing strategy where a product is sold at a loss (or minimal profit) to draw customers in, with the expectation that they’ll buy more while inside.
Young consumers are likely to be influenced by peer presence and impulse buying, so once they’re in the restaurant for a drink, they might also buy fries, nuggets, or even a combo meal.
📽️ Ad Elements (as observed):
- A red car filled with cheerful young friends evokes energy and youthfulness.
- Brand colors (red and white) are subtly placed through wardrobe and props.
- Background music and expressions build a “cool” and spontaneous atmosphere.
👁️ Suggestions (as part of the class project):
To strengthen brand contrast and visibility, the character in red could wear more white to match Wendy’s classic color scheme (red and white). Especially since the car is red, adding visual contrast would help avoid blending.
Ad Analysis 2: SpongeBob x Wendy’s – Supposed Use of Nostalgia and Scarcity
🎯 Supposed Target Audience:
Fans of SpongeBob SquarePants, particularly Millennials and their children.
💬 Hypothetical Message:
You can now try the Krabby Patty in real life through a limited-time Wendy’s combo. The campaign seemingly recreates the feel of a SpongeBob episode, giving fans a fictional experience turned into a real-world product.
🧠 Marketing Tactics (Assumed):
This ad appears to use several powerful techniques:
- Nostalgia marketing: Emotional connection through childhood memories.
- Limited-time offer: The scarcity principle may trigger FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).
- Pop culture alignment: SpongeBob is an icon for several age groups, from kids to adults.
📽️ Observed Elements:
- The ad starts with the classic SpongeBob theme, grabbing attention.
- A bottle containing a “secret formula” visually mimics the cartoon.
- Square patties echo SpongeBob’s shape, tying food design to branding.
⚠️ Observed Risk:
Some online articles noted controversy about using SpongeBob in fast food marketing, allegedly against the wishes of the original creator. This could hypothetically result in brand image concerns or negative press.
💡 Hypothetical Recommendation:
If this campaign were real, the brand might reduce backlash by highlighting healthier menu options or selecting a different nostalgic character whose branding aligns more with food partnerships.
Supposed Broader Strategy: Emotional Branding and Future Profitability
From a strategic standpoint (again, hypothetically speaking), these campaigns suggest Wendy’s may be aiming to:
- Create memorable, emotional connections
- Leverage affordability and convenience to build routine visits
- Use childhood icons to spark nostalgia-driven purchases
Each ad uses a different hook—one leans on affordability and everyday utility, while the other thrives on fictional fantasy and pop culture. Together, they represent a layered marketing mix focused on long-term value.
Summary of Supposed Techniques
| Ad Feature | $1 Drink Ad | SpongeBob Krabby Patty Combo |
|---|---|---|
| Target Audience | Young adults | Kids, families, nostalgic Millennials |
| Key Emotion | Spontaneity and social fun | Nostalgia and adventure |
| Visual Strategy | Brand-color alignment, road trip | Animation crossover, surprise visuals |
| Marketing Principle | Loss leader, impulse buying | Scarcity, nostalgia, emotional branding |
| Hypothetical Weakness | Limited seasonal appeal (warm weather) | Brand alignment controversy |
Final Thoughts: A Student’s View on Modern Marketing in Fast Food
As a student of marketing, these campaigns (as observed) seem to reflect modern, emotionally intelligent advertising. Wendy’s hypothetically focuses on building relationships with its youngest potential customers, using cultural touchpoints, low-cost incentives, and branded experiences to turn occasional visitors into loyal fans.
While this analysis is based solely on classroom observations and marketing theories, it’s an excellent case to explore how fast-food chains can blend creativity, emotion, and strategy to grow sustainably.
🗣️ Share Your Thoughts
Do you think these strategies are effective? What fast food campaigns have stuck with you recently? Leave a comment below—especially if you’re interested in marketing or advertising trends!
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