Popeyes
Social Strategy - Disrupt March Madness with Popeyes wings
Disrupting March Madness with a social media strategy, specifically a TikTok campaign, to promote Popeyes' chicken wings and captivate the Gen Z audience.
The Ask
In the chaos of March Madness, with every brand shouting for attention, Popeyes must navigate without relying on partnerships or official sponsorships.
The Problem
Using TikTok, we connected emotionally with Gen Z by crafting engaging content that made Popeyes the comfort food of March Madness, blending emotions with our chicken wings.
The Solution
The Background
Popeyes, established in 1972 with New Orleans roots, draws inspiration from Louisiana home cooking and is renowned for its famous chicken sandwich and Cajun flavors. Recently launched, our project aimed to spotlight Popeyes' chicken wings during March Madness through captivating TikTok content, aiming to amplify brand buzz and positive sentiment, and potentially drive up sales during the event.
The Research
From buzzer-beaters to Cinderella stories, March Madness delivers moments of triumph and heartbreak, showcasing the raw emotion and competitive spirit inherent in sports.
Over 63% of global sports fans report feeling this strong emotional connection to their favorite team.
Nine in ten Gen Z sports fans use social media to consume content as consumption habits shift.
When delved into the emotional nuances of March Madness fandom, understanding the highs and lows fans experienced.
Our research also showed that when fans watch their favorite team lose, it can have direct effects on their emotions, and they go through a cycle similar to the 5 stages of grief, which are a vulnerable time for fans.
Throughout the March madness, only one team out of 64 won; the remaining 63 teams experienced sadness, loss, and the emotional journey of grief.
Insight
Opportunity
Popeyes has the opportunity to be the wing by their side through all five stages.
Strategy
Popeyes wings for the other 63
INTRODUCING
To introduce our idea, Popeyes will launch some paid ads on TikTok that speak directly to grief-filled fans. These ads will connect the five sauces with stages of grief while tying into basketball.
Denial stage : Ghost pepper
Acknowledging our team's loss can be difficult. In the early stages of denial, we intend to examine fans' responses to their teams' losses by creating TikTok duets that strike a balance between lively expressions and passionate reactions, mirroring the flavor and intensity of Popeyes’s ghost pepper wings.
Anger stage : Signature Hot
After a loss, emotions can soar, just like Popeye's signature hot wings, particularly when your team falls short. Fans may have opinions to share, and we're offering them a platform through TikTok to express their NCAA hot takes post-games.
Bargaining stage: Honey BBQ
As you bargain in your mind for your team to win, we'll sweeten the deal, drawing inspiration from Popeyes' Honey BBQ wings. Popeyes will engage in man-on-the-street interviews, asking fans what they'd sacrifice to see their team win, with the best responses earning a 6-piece order of Honey BBQ.
Depression stage: Roasted Garlic Parmesan
In the depression stage, the "crying chicken" filter and tutorials on how to eat garlic parmesan wings through tears serve as outlets for people to express their inner turmoil.
Acceptance stage: Sweet N’ Spicy
During the acceptance stage, influencers associated with specific losing teams will receive physical chicken wing bouquets to uplift their spirits and prepare them for next year's game.
Throughout all stages, Popeyes will also feature content, including hacking the comments of other accounts' big upset videos, TikTok dances, and interactive filters.
Media Plan
The unpredictability of March Madness results means we can't plan on what and when to post. Instead, we'll follow the game schedule for each round, adding a dynamic twist to our media plan.
The Result
As a result of our efforts and the success of our strategies, the client has selected us as the winner in the sprint.
Next steps
Moving forward, our focus is on maintaining this momentum and positioning Popeyes as a trendsetter in the fast-food industry. Extend beyond its chicken wings and craft a unique and memorable experience for the audience.
The team
Caitlin Kreinheder Art director
Max Warren Creative Brand Manager
Hannah Kent Experience designer
Jack Franco Copywriter
Sarah Hipwell Creative Brand Manager
My role
Market research
Strategy development
Creative concepting
TikTok implementation
