For the famously burger-centric chain, now covering 14 states with nearly 990 restaurants, the goal was to be cheeky and self-aware to announce its entry into the highly competitive chicken wing segment.
The product—formally deemed the All-New Boneless WhataWings, with nine pieces per order—is actually “chicken tender bites” tossed in various savory and sweet sauces. Despite the label, no subterfuge is intended, per the brand.
“We don’t deny it—there is no such thing as a boneless wing. But over the years, ‘wings’ has become shorthand for the flavor profile of fried, white meat chicken with a coating of flavorful sauce,” Donna Tuttle, Whataburger’s vice president of marketing and communications, told Adweek. “Instead of fighting that jargon, we’ve embraced it.”
Nuggets for grownups
Whataburger, which already has a line of chicken sandwiches, tenders and bites on its regular menu, wanted its own signature wing, even though the dish is admittedly a dressed-up tender. If there’s a misdirect, it’s made with good intentions, per the creatives.
“Adult chicken nuggets is probably the most technically correct name, but that doesn’t really roll off the tongue as well,” according to Cam Miller, creative director at McGarrah Jessee. “Also, these aren’t our only deliciously incorrect items on the menu—our french fries aren’t from France, and we’ve never put ham in the hamburgers.”
The agency chose a familiar trope—an enraged public speaker lecturing a group of elected officials—because it was both highly melodramatic and completely relatable. The 30-second hero spot, directed by Laura Murphy and produced by Gravy Films and The Voorhes, stars an incensed, bearded character affectionately called Wingnut.
