Can Football save Wendy’s slumping sales?

Wendy’s wants to own Friday nights. And they’re spending the money to do it.

The other other burger place recently inked an exclusive sponsorship deal with ESPN, where all football related content on the ESPN family of networks, magazines and websites will be sponsored by Wendys. 

So now, you’ll be able to tune in to Colin Cowherd, check your fantasy football lineup and watch a Friday Night High School Game, all while thinking of a delicious Frosty.

Of course, the question comes back to Return on Investment. And for a fast-food brand, this is critical. For these fast-food chains, the most important thing they can do is push their messaging. A heavy fast-food user will eat at different outlets, and Wendy’s can reach the majority of burger users through Friday Football days.

And more brands are turning to this. With the decline of commercials, co-branded sponsorships are the next wave. You’ve got Pepsi Max Mondays on CBS, and now Wendy’s Football Fridays. And Wendy’s is positioning themselves for a major push. They have great burgers, but they have struggled badly recently. Their sales fell again this year, falling to No. 5 in total QSR-chain sales. So, it’s time to try and recapture their glory.

They’re a billion-dollars in sales behind Burger King, largely because the King and his drum-banging, late-night antics appeal to younger people (who oddly enough, eat much more fast food than anyone else). Meanwhile, Wendy is kind of a bore. So, with football, that can eve the playing field. So next Friday, let’s honor this trend by downing a Frosty while watching the college football kickoff.

For more on the deal, check out Adages take: http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=138723

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