Popeyes Takes Print and OOH Ads in Crispy New Directions

Popeyes might have created the crispiest print campaign ever in magazine spreads that replicate the distinctive crunch of the chain’s fried chicken.

If you’re thinking they used scannable QR codes or audio chips, think again. Instead, copy invites readers to crumple the ads. Doing so mimics the sound of teeth tearing into tenders and nuggets.

“We didn’t want to create a print ad that sounded like Popeyes’ chicken. We wanted to create a print ad that sounds exactly like Popeyes’ chicken,” says Danny Alvarez, executive creative director at GUT, which developed the effort. “We worked alongside foley artists and sound engineers and paper vendors to find the perfect material. By collaborating with audio experts, we matched the soundwaves of paper being crumpled with that of chicken being bitten.”

Ultimately, the team chose Glama Natural Vellum, made with 100 percent cellulose fibers. “This creates a louder sound than your typical 8.5×11 piece of printing paper when crunched up,” says Alvarez.

Separately, Popeyes’ half-day chicken-prep process acquires an artful aura in striking images from acclaimed photographer Frank Relle.

Using long-exposure techniques, Relle transforms battering, breading and marinating into a surreal symphony of motion. Naturally, the kitchen action—displayed in newspapers and billboards across New York, Chicago and L.A.—shimmers with an orange Popeyes glow:

“We had to understand the cooks’ movement patterns as they carried out their daily activities,” explains Alvarez. “This was crucial to ensure that we would successfully capture beautiful motion over a period of 12 hours.”

Both campaigns demonstrate that legacy media still offers broad creative opportunities, even for a brand well versed in celebrity promos, online marketing and splashy IRL stunts.

“We launched both campaigns first as print, since, in these instances, it was the format that best served to communicate [the brand message],” says Alvarez. “With that said, the ads have an upcoming social aspect as well, so we’re not entirely eschewing digital.”

CREDITS

—Crunch Print

POPEYES:
Matt Rubin – Chief Marketing Officer
Alexandre Antonello – VP of Marketing
Patricia Pieranti – Head of Marketing Communications
Andrea Dufford – Senior Manager, Brand Communications 
Kerry Lange – Senior Manager, Brand Communications 

AGENCY: GUT MIAMI
Anselmo Ramos – Founder, CCO
Carmen Rodriguez – CCO, Managing Director, Partner
Ricardo Casal – ECD, Partner
Juan Javier Peña Plaza – ECD, Partner
Fernando Ribeiro – Chief Strategy Officer, Partner
Christian Pierre – Chief Intelligence Officer
Guido Fusetti – Head of Art
Danny Alvarez – Executive Creative Director
Tom Francesconi – Creative Director
Joselyn Bickford – Head of Account Management
Jennifer Rangel – Account Director
Carolyn Martin – Account Supervisor
Renata Neumann – Head of Production
Kristin Childers – Senior Producer
Amber Peña – Producer
Andy Tamayo – Associate Creative Director
Alex Allen – Associate Creative Director
Clara Lvoff – Junior Art Director
Rachel Fund – Junior Copywriter
Pablo Rosas – Director of Strategy
Anastasia Lara – Senior Strategist
Christopher Williams – Social Strategist
Cristina Cornejo Ayala – Creative Manager
Junia Parodi – Creative Manager
Kristy Garcia – Social Project Manager
Carolina Perez – Project Manager

PR AGENCY: ALISON BROD MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Lauren Bishop – Senior Vice President
Dara Schopp – Director
Kristin Martinez – Senior Account Executive
Mollie Birer – Account Executive
Kate Beeks – Account Coordinator

MEDIA AGENCY: HORIZON MEDIA
Bud Follet – SVP, Managing Director, Business Solutions
Jennifer Valentine – VP, Managing Director, Business Solutions
Katherine DeSanctis – Associate Media Director, Integrated Print
Ian Alers – Associate Director, Business Solutions
Emma Seabra – Strategist, Business Solutions
David Ehrenthal – Assistant Strategist, Business Solution

PRODUCTION HOUSE: Street Factory Media
Mike Jones – Director
Aurora Bell – Executive Producer
Ericka Wallis – Head of Production
Brianna Morel – Producer
Travis Henry – DP
Eli Sanchez – Producer
Photographers: Kaylen Larson & Debo
 
AUDIO HOUSE: ANIMAL (Case Study)
Alberto Farinas – Executive Producer
Raul Garcia – Producer
Paola Altamirano – Audio Engineer/Arrangement
 
AUDIO HOUSE: Street Factory Media (Social deliverables)
Aurora Bell – Executive Producer
Brianna Morel – Producer

EDITORIAL:
Nate Estrada – Social Editor
Nico Fernandez – Case Study Editor

—12 Hour

POPEYES:
Matt Rubin – Chief Marketing Officer
Alexandre Antonello – VP of Marketing
Patricia Pieranti – Head of Marketing Communications
Andrea Dufford – Senior Manager, Brand Communications
Kerry Lange – Senior Manager, Brand Communications
Emily Ciantra – Senior Manager Public Relations and Brand Communications

AGENCY: GUT MIAMI
Anselmo Ramos – Founder, CCO
Carmen Rodriguez – CCO, Managing Director, Partner
Ricardo Casal – ECD, Partner
Juan Javier Peña Plaza – ECD, Partner
Fernando Ribeiro – Chief Strategy Officer, Partner
Christian Pierre – Chief Intelligence Officer
Guido Fusetti – Head of Art
Danny Alvarez – Executive Creative Director
Tom Francesconi – Creative Director
Joselyn Bickford – Head of Account Management
Jennifer Rangel – Account Director
Carolyn Martin – Account Supervisor
Renata Neumann – Head of Production
Kristin Childers – Executive Producer
Stephanie Schmalbach – Producer
Daniel Jaramillo – Senior Art Director
Miguel Cedeno – Associate Creative Director
Ricardo Chuecos – Associate Creative Director
Pablo Rosas – Director of Strategy
Anastasia Lara – Senior Strategist
Cristina Cornejo Ayala – Creative Manager
Junia Parodi – Creative Manager
Carolina Perez – Project Manager

MEDIA AGENCY: HORIZON MEDIA
Bud Follet – SVP, Managing Director, Business Solutions
Jennifer Valentine – VP, Managing Director, Business Solutions
Katherine DeSanctis – Associate Media Director, Integrated Print
Katelyn Pulling – Group Director, Out of Home
Ian Alers – Associate Director, Business Solutions
Emma Seabra – Strategist, Business Solutions
David Ehrenthal – Assistant Strategist, Business Solution

PRODUCTION HOUSE:
Name – Five to Sixty
Location – New Orleans, Louisiana
Photographer – Frank Relle
Founder & CEO – Nic Weinfield
Head of Production – Jack Rosman
Executive Producer – Juan Sebastian Baron

RETOUCHING:
Name – Diego Speroni
Location – Spain
Retoucher – Diego Speroni
Producer – Freddy Fabris