Standing out in a saturated category
Make it Pop
Popeyes
Launching an American fast-food brand in a crowded UK chicken shop market, already bursting with fierce brand loyalty is no mean feat. After the rampant success of the chicken wars in the US, Popeyes couldn’t be just another chicken shop when it launched in London. It had to be a cultural phenomenon, staking it’s claim in the wildly competitive UK fast food landscape, and doing so without traditional advertising methods. But, how?
We discovered that because of the global nature of social, there was already huge online love for the brand (with Brits having experienced Popeyes abroad, and particularly in the US). This coupled with the huge popularity of the chicken shop culture in the UK created a unique opportunity to own a space where food and culture collide.
We pitched a launch strategy designed to get the UK public as excited about the launch as we were. We knew the best way to create fame and desire for Popeyes was to propel it to the forefront of UK culture. With music at the heart of our strategy, we pitched an all encompassing social media frenzy of activity that culminated in a clash of music and chicken shop culture, bringing energy and hype to fairly traditional category. All centred around their iconic chicken sandwich.
We delivered insights and analysis to translate the US brand for a British audience, PR strategy for Popeyes UK’s launch at Westfield Stratford, and the UK amplification of Popeyes’ global partnership with Megan Thee Stallion.
This was a pitch win for the agency that turned into a live campaign. I left before I could work on this properly. Shame!
Popeyes UK’s launch was one of the most successful launches that the global brand has ever seen, and Manifest has been instrumental in ensuring that. The UK is a crucial market for Popeyes, and we knew we needed the right partner to help our winning international formula translate for a UK audience. The team’s knowledge of the cultural landscape and how to capture the imagination of consumers has been pivotal in helping our Stratford launch go stratospheric
Vicky Barber, UK Marketing Director, Popeyes
Outcome
Popeyes UK launch was one of the most successful international launches ever
UK’s first store is a top-three global performer
Reaction
Popeyes opened in London for the first time and it looks like Coachella festival in there
popeyes opened in london let me get my purse
Waited over 2 hours in line to try out the new Popeyes that opened in Stratford today. Yknow what? Worth it
New Popeyes just opened up in London. And I just waited 3 hours for it...
Coverage
Studio: Manifest / Creative Direction: Chomoi Picho-Owiny
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