Taking the Square Route

It looks like Wendy's is finally getting their marketing act together.

Most folks know the fate of last year's Mr. Wendy campaign.  You remember, the night stalker who'd break into your house and remind you that the Wendy's drive-thru was open until midnight or later...

   Hated by nearly everyone, especially Phil Nelson, Mr. Wendy's demise was welcomed and well publicized.  The campaign that followed was no less creepy.  They resurrected Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy's, who died of liver cancer in 2002.  The new ads were pitched as reflections on Thomas' business philosophies, but resulted in sentimentally mournful 30-second memorial services.

I had just about given up hope.  Then tonight, I was watching TV and saw these little guys in a commercial....

Meet Smart Square & the animated circle people. 

According to Sharon Ehrlich, co-creator of Smart Square, the idea arose while pondering the question, "Where do Wendy's square-shaped hamburgers come from?"  The answer was simple: square cows.  They created a back-story about Square Cow who lived among a herd of round cows.  Of course, Square Cow liked to do things differently and that made him special.  But lessons were learned...people lose their appetite when they're creeped out, so having a masochistic Square Cow demanding from people, "Eat me!" would probably be a bad idea.  So, as Ehrlich succinctly states, "we decided to take the cow out of Square Cow."  And a new advertising character was born!

For more fun with Smart Square and the animated circle people, visit their website.

Comments

[JtH]

They used a stalker in a tv commercial??

[Rowdy Theologian]

Johnny,
Yes, a stalker. And, I might mention, a pedophile! (For more on the latter accusation click on the "Hated by nearly everyone" link in the post...)

[J. Go]

Hey, do you recall the Burger King commercials where the dude wakes up with this extrememly creepy King-Puppett in bed with him?

Probably the creepiest commercial ever filmed.

J. Go

[letti]

yeah, the King Puppet guy was creepy..Leno even had a skit about him...LOL

[ScorpioSphinx]

But you know, when the little square dude talks about not having any hair, it's like eeeh, why would it have hair? Chili now 99.9% thumb-free! (Yeah I know that was a hoax).