Wendy’s “You Know When It’s Real” television commercial 

Although I’m not a fast food consumer, and haven’t touched the stuff in years, I do hold a special nostalgic place in my heart for Wendy’s. I have countless memories of my trips to Wendy’s with my mom after having suffered through a morning of assisting her with errands (dreadful). Yes, my mother rewarded me with industrial hormone-pumped meat but I loved it. Don’t judge. I saw hope in those mornings because I knew a Frosty was waiting for me. Of course, she would only order a diet coke, but I didn’t care whether the burgers were square or circular – they could’ve been triangular and I would’ve loved every bite.

Sure, I’ve grown up and think any fast food establishment should be avoided like the H1N1 (aka modern day plague apparently) but from a branding standpoint, Wendy’s still serves as a useful case study.  While I may have been indifferent to the shape, color, and texture of Wendy’s burgers, their ranking among fast food restaurants would indicate that it is an important factor for most consumers. They can showcase their burgers in comparison to the standard “round” burgers in attempt to differentiate themselves or leverage this “you know when it’s real” campaign, but as we’ve learned from magazine, book and CD sales, the cover DOES matter. In this case, despite a humorous television commercial and a new positioning, is it enough to pull Wendy’s out of its continued burger-slump?

If you have ever or currently eat at fast food establishments, which do you prefer and why?