The last campaign we covered for Wendy’s (which was always our favorite burger joint growing up, who cares) was all about an obsession with bacon.
The chain’s newest ads deal with two more American addictions: football and cheese…so many kinds of cheese. The anthem spot is purely metaphorical, but don’t let that confuse you.
That one was a lot of fun–especially the casting for Gouda and Gruyere, better known as Terrell Owens and Vince Young. We don’t feel like cheese really plays second string to bacon, but the two taste so good together that a cheese-free bacon burger is like a football ad without a star player.
Readers may appreciate this fake interview with the ad’s fake director, “Drake St. Suede.” Nice closing line.
Owens also stars in a couple of digital-only shorts created by VML in which he auditions for the campaign and shows off his very, very tight pants.
He’s not a bad actor, really.
There are a couple of other audition-style shorts by VML starring Small White British Man, one making light of the fact that he doesn’t know what real football is and one in which he demonstrates his ability to fake an American accent.
On a side note, we tried to watch Friday Night Lights once and did not get it at all. What were we missing?
Agency: Publicis New York and VML
Client: Wendy’s
Live Action Directors: Speck and Gordon
Live Action Production Company: Furlined
Tabletop Director: Darren Weninger
Tabletop Production Company: MK Films
(Long form) Editor: Graham Turner
Edit Company: Cut + Run LA
Executive Creative Director: Mike Towell
Creative Directors: Will Conrad & Matt Zaiffert
ACD/Sr. Copywriter: Bryce Hooton
ACD/Sr. Art Director: Kristen Koop
Agency Executive Producer, Live Action: Tim LeGallo
Agency Executive Producer, Tabletop: Andy Cornelius
Agency Associate Producer: Lauren Gordon
Agency Music Producer: Theresa Notartomaso
Agency: VML
Executive Creative Director: Chris Corley
Creative Director: Mary Money
Creative Director: Rachel Hogan
Senior Producer: Gary Granger
Business Affairs Manager: Julie Kolton
Director, Client Engagement: Zach Mendenhall
Asst. Account Manager: Colin Belmont
Production company: Liquid 9
Director: Frankie Oviedo
Executive Producer: Chris Oconnor
Executive Producer: Chris Weaver
Producer: Kate Zadoo
Editor: Ryan Lewis