TAPS INTO ITS LOUISIANA ROOTS
*Live Client
THE ASK
Create an organic TikTok Program that drives Gen Z consumption during March Madness
MY ROLE
Research
Strategy
Business case + brand audit
INSIGHT
Nobody wants to responsible for their team losing
THE TEAM
THE SOLUTION
Popeyes Wing in the Luck - a social challenge to celebrate game day rituals
BACKGROUND
Popeyes is known for its fried chicken, cajun flavors, and the viral chicken sandwiches that launched in 2019. Now, Popeyes is disrupting the QSR industry by introducing the Popeyes Wings in 5 different flavors on TikTok during March Madness. The March Madness TikTok channel has garnered an average of 9.7 million views every year (UnitedMasters, 2023).
In 2019, fans were expected to consume around 2.3 billion wings during March Madness (USDA, 2019).
SPORTS AND WINGS GO HAND IN HAND
BUT, SPORTS ARE ALSO SYNONYMOUS WITH SUPERSTITIOUS RITUALS
Michael Jordan wears the UNC shorts
Serena Williams wears the same socks
Players touch the Clemson Rock
INSIGHT
Nobody wants to be responsible for their team losing.
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Over 60% of fans say they are superstitious on game day (People, 2021)
GEN Z ARE PROPELLING SUPERSTITIONS ON TIKTOK ON ALREADY
Over 70% of Gen Z use TikTok as a search engine (eMarketer, 2024)
OPPORTUNITY
Popeyes comes from the home of American superstition, Louisiana
STRATEGY
Popeyes is the champion of game day rituals ​
Our goal is to drive trial of wings flavors among Gen Z by modeling, celebrating, and rewarding game day rituals to encourage UGC on TikTok.
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This campaign will launch in 3 phases: Ignite, Build, and Expand
SPOKESPERSON - BRIANA GREEN
Green will be the spokesperson leading the Popeyes Wing in the Luck Challenge. Green is currently a player for the Harlem Globetrotters, and a TikTok influencer with 600K+ followers.
WOMAN ON THE STREETS
Briana will be taking on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana on March 17th to ask people to share their game day rituals.
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TikTok Caption: How do you wing in the luck? Share your game time rituals with #wingintheluck and tag @popeyes for a chance to swish some deals throughout the big tournament. Stay tuned for more details!
WING IN THE LUCK CHALLENGE
Briana will launch our campaign on TikTok. Briana will post her game day superstition and announce the Wing In The Luck challenge as well as the grand prize, a Popeyes catered watch party for the national championship game!
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TikTok Caption: Post your own game day rituals with #wingintheluck and tag @popeyes to receive PROMOS on our wings. Also, the more you post, the greater your chances are of winning a Popeyes catered watch party for the men's and women's championships!
POPEYES RITUALS
Briana will be posting a new Popeyes Wing game day ritual to encourage users who do not have their own ritual to participate in the challenge. Every 3 days, Popeyes will post a new ritual regarding a specific flavor, with a new promo code for users when they participate.
ROASTED GARLIC PARM
HONEY BBQ
GHOST PEPPER
TikTok Caption: Happy first round! Now until March 21st, get 3 FREE wings with your next garlic parm order. Get your PROMO CODE by using #wingintheluck and tagging @popeyes. Good luck!
TikTok Caption: Let s up the ante. Now until March 24th, get 6 honey barbecue wings for $4. Get your PROMO CODE by using #wingintheluck and tagging @popeyes. You got this!
TikTok Caption: *Insert ghost noises.* Now until March 27th, get 40% off your next order of ghost pepper wings. Get your PROMO CODE by using #wingintheluck and tagging @popeyes. Keep em coming in hot!
USER GENERATED CONTENT
With the Wing in the Luck Challenge, Users will be encouraged to post user-generated content that will help propel the engagement of the challenge.
FIVE FLAVOR FEAST PLATTER
To generate more entries, Popeyes will launch a secret TikTok menu item the Five Flavor Feast Platter, which is all 5 boxes, all five flavors.
TikTok Caption: Now you can post your rituals to unlock our secret menu! Keep using #wingintheluck and tagging @popeyes. Coming to a store near you!!!
POPEYES CATERED WATCH PARTY
Popeyes will choose the favorite rituals from the Wing in the Luck Challenge to be chosen for the grand prize of a full catered Popeyes National Championship watch party for lucky participants.
TAKEAWAY
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Celebrates a community of passionate fans.
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Steals a share of wing consumption during March Madness
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Creates urgency around trying each wing flavor
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Drives wing trial during March Madness game time
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Puts Popeyes into game day.