Popeyes: Turning a Shortage into a PR Win

Source: Ad Age

One impactful public relations case study is the "Popeyes Chicken Sandwich" launch in August 2019. The campaign began with a series of tweets from Popeyes, challenging Chick-fil-A (a popular chicken sandwich chain) to a taste test. The tweets quickly went viral, sparking a social media war between the two chains that garnered national attention.

Popeyes then released a series of commercials featuring real customers trying the new chicken sandwich and reacting positively to its taste. These commercials were shared widely on social media and further fueled the hype surrounding the sandwich.

But the turning point in the campaign came when a tweet from a popular food blogger went viral. The blogger praised the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich and said it was better than Chick-fil-A's sandwich. This tweet sparked a frenzy on social media, with people lining up for hours at Popeyes locations across the country to try the sandwich for themselves.

However, due to the unexpected high demand, Popeyes quickly ran out of the sandwich, causing disappointment among customers and leading to negative backlash on social media. This only further fueled the hype and made the sandwich even more desirable.

To turn the situation around, Popeyes took a bold and unconventional approach. Instead of ignoring or downplaying the shortage, they acknowledged the issue and used it as an opportunity to generate even more buzz around the sandwich. As the craze continued, Popeyes leaned into the attention and continued to engage with fans on social media. The brand even created a custom filter on Snapchat that allowed users to add a virtual Popeyes Chicken Sandwich to their photos.

Popeyes launched a "Bring Your Own Bun" campaign, encouraging customers to bring their own bread to the restaurant and create their own makeshift sandwich using Popeyes' chicken tenders. The campaign received widespread media coverage and praise for its creativity and humor.

As a result of this strategy, Popeyes generated over $65 million in earned media value in just 11 days and saw a 103% increase in foot traffic to its restaurants. The sandwich sold out again when it was restocked a few weeks later, but the brand had already solidified its position as a major player in the fast-food industry, thanks to its savvy public relations campaign.

The campaign was successful for a few reasons. First, it capitalized on a cultural moment - the ongoing debate over which chain had the best chicken sandwich. By inserting itself into that conversation, Popeyes was able to create buzz around its own sandwich.

Second, the campaign was highly shareable. The social media war between Popeyes and Chick-fil-A was entertaining to follow and easy to share, which helped to spread the word about the sandwich quickly.

Finally, the campaign was authentic. By featuring real customers in its commercials and engaging with fans on social media, Popeyes was able to create a genuine connection with its audience.

In conclusion, the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich PR campaign was a masterclass in how to create hype around a new product. By inserting itself into a cultural moment, creating shareable content, and being authentic in its messaging, Popeyes was able to generate massive buzz around its new sandwich and drive sales for the brand.