Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Goes Boneless for Buffalo Wild Wings

Remember when recording artists refused to sell out? We don’t either.

Cue rappers Bone Thugs-N-Harmony—or rather, Boneless Thugs-N-Harmony, as they’re now known, thanks to a promotion cooked up by The Martin Agency for Buffalo Wild Wings.

The group updated their social handles to reflect the new moniker, with limited-edition brand/band gear available at Bonelessthugs.com.

This Behind the Music-style video breaks it down, complete with a “rift” as band member Layzie Bone won’t accept that less is more:

Remember when the Beatles changed their name to the VW Beetles? Of course not. (Though Paul McCartney’s Boneless Wings period was awesome!)

The wings-related name change began when the creative team tasted some boneless product and began joking, “They’re so good, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is going to have an identity crisis,” Martin Agency group planning director Mike Kelly tells Muse. “Obviously, it stuck—and became so much more. [Art director] Allison Apperson and [senior copywriter] Jacob Pankey were the jokesters who brought the idea into being.”

Great, now we know who to thank. Or blame. It’s a thin, barbecue sauce-splattered line.

The move recalls the IHOP/IHOB publicity-seeking switcheroo from a couple years back—but not so much. Remember when Eminem started calling himself Tootsie Roll (M&M would’ve been too easy), and Beyoncé renamed herself Facebook? Those were good times.

This Boneless bid is backed by “a very small social buy,” says Martin associate creative director Andrew Bailey. “Word of mouth is our focus, because the news has wide appeal, just like the group does—from old-school hip-hop fans, today’s youth, and, of course, lovers of boneless wings.”

Hey, who wants Drake’s Cakes for dessert?

CREDITS

Client: Buffalo Wild Wings
President: Lyle Tick
Chief Marketing Officer: Seth Freeman
VP, Brand Experience and Activation: Luke DeRouen 
VP, Marketing and Advertising: Jeff Baker
Director, Marketing: Ryan Stein 
Director, Brand Communications: Alison Glenn
Coordinator, Brand Communications: Claire Kudlata

Agency Credits:
Chief Creative Officer: Karen Costello
Group Creative Director: Jerry Hoak 
Creative Director: Mik Manulik
Associate Creative Director: Andrew Bailey
Senior Copywriter: Jacob Pankey
Art Director: Allison Apperson 
Senior Studio Artist: Margaret Griffith
Executive Producer:Tricia Hoover
Executive Producer: Kim Zaninovich 
Print Producer: Jamie Dollins
VP Director of Business Affairs: Dusty Slowik
Managing Director, Cultural Impact Lab: Jaclyn Ruelle
Senior Executive, Cultural Communications: Matt Kessler
Chief Executive Officer: Kristen Cavallo
Group Account Director: Jordan Muse
Account Director: Kelsey Johnson 
Account Executive: Laura Holland
Project Manager: Kevin Merrill
Project Manager: Kathlyn Sowers
Financial Account Supervisor: Monica Cox

Strategy
Group Strategic Director: Mike Kelley
Strategic Director: Taylor Wiegert
Strategic Planner: Stuart Good

Public Relations 
Neil DeVries, Vice President
Nick Eickemeyer, Senior Account Supervisor
Christian Blatner, Account Executive

Production
Production Company: Company Films 
Directors: Fred Goss 
Director of Photography: Leif Johnson
Executive Producer: Richard Goldstein 
Head of Production: Christien Tuttle 
Producer: Rebecca Brown 

Editorial
Editorial Company: SuperJoy 
Editor: Erich Wiemer 
Editorial Producer: Jack Johnson 

Custom Music 
Company: Stimulator Jones 
Writer: Sam Lunsford

Mix
Company: Rainmaker 
Mix Engineer: Michael O’Connor