Redheads get a bad rap. They’re the butt of jokes, they’re linked to super-sun-sensitive skin (not revered in beachland, aka Australia), and Harry is a redhead – for some reason that’s perhaps unfair, he’s the current black sheep of THAT famous family.
But it was World Redhead Day on May 26 (who knew?). And Wendy’s, that has recently launched its inaugural Cavill Avenue store on the Gold Coast, celebrated. Its sassy redheaded leading lady is the spearhead of a new movement, Redhead Redemption, via Today the Brave, redeeming the status of redheads across Australia. The Redhead Redemption event gave every “strawberry blonde”, ginger, bluey, rusty Aussie (and their boring-haired crew) VIP status at Wendy’s stores, allowing them to claim a free burger meal.
The activation, spanning influencer, out-of-home, social and earned activity, marks the beginning of several unapologetically sassy campaigns from Wendy’s, Today the Brave and Burson, the brand’s strategic public relations agency on record. The aim is to foster brand confidence and enhance Wendy’s standing within Australia’s highly competitive fast-food market.
“This is the start of an exciting journey for an awesome brand, done with a group of awesome people, one where we bring a wonderfully underdog spirit and some much-needed female energy to the fast food scene in Australia,” stated Jade Manning, creative partner at Today the Brave.
Of course, with free Wendy’s burgers up for grabs, there were non-redheads looking to get in on the action too (typical). So, to make the event day as inclusive as possible, Wendy’s rewarded non-redheads as well… if they were willing to make a red-hot effort and transform into redheads in solidarity with the redheaded community.
“Redhead Redemption was our way of showing up with personality and bringing our fans along for the ride. It’s bold, playful, and uniquely Wendy’s – rallying our growing Wendy’s tribe for a moment that feels made for them. We can’t wait to keep painting Cavill Ave red!” stated Sarah Hatcher, head of marketing at Wendy’s.
Jessie Gogan, deputy market lead for Burson Australia and New Zealand, added, “We’re chuffed to lead the earned media charge on a campaign that celebrates the ginger legends among us — natural, dyed, or delightfully disguised. It’s a fiery, feel-good moment that’s all about having fun, turning heads, and earning a tasty reward while we’re at it.”
