{"id":23023,"date":"2025-01-27T20:35:17","date_gmt":"2025-01-27T20:35:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mediashower.com\/blog\/?p=23023"},"modified":"2025-01-27T20:49:49","modified_gmt":"2025-01-27T20:49:49","slug":"wendys-roast-campaign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wendys-roast-campaign\/","title":{"rendered":"Wendy\u2019s \u201cRoast\u201d Campaign: How a Sassy Twitter Feed Set the Internet on Fire"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Quick Summary<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Savage social strategy<\/strong>. Wendy\u2019s turned up the heat on Twitter, roasting competitors and fans alike with razor-sharp wit.<\/li>\n<li><strong>A recipe for engagement<\/strong>. The fast-food giant cooked up millions of likes, retweets, and shares, making their brand the talk of the digital town.<\/li>\n<li><strong>From tweets to receipts<\/strong>. The campaign racked up millions of likes and shares, boosted sales, and solidified Wendy\u2019s as the king (or queen) of social media marketing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Wendy\u2019s went from flipping burgers to flipping the script on brand engagement. Their \u201cRoast\u201d campaign was a masterclass in social media domination, proving that a well-seasoned Twitter feed can serve up serious business results. With a mix of humor, authenticity, and just the right amount of spice, Wendy\u2019s redefined what it means to connect with customers online.<\/p>\n<p><center><br \/>\n<iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Oiw5tYq6XsI?si=6W9dNtXPEECvwE47\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/center><\/p>\n<h2>Background<\/h2>\n<p>Wendy\u2019s has always prided itself on serving \u201cfresh, never-frozen\u201d beef. But in 2017, on Twitter, they weren\u2019t just serving burgers\u2014they were serving burns.<\/p>\n<p>The fast-food chain had already built a reputation for quality food, but their marketing strategy needed a refresh. In a sea of corporate accounts playing it safe, Wendy\u2019s decided to shake things up.<\/p>\n<p>They took to Twitter with a bold, sassy, and downright savage persona, giving their brand a much-needed edge in the competitive fast-food world.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_23024\" style=\"width: 790px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23024\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23024\" src=\"http:\/\/mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/kfc-roast-me-post.jpg\" alt=\"kfc roast me post\" width=\"780\" height=\"551\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/kfc-roast-me-post.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/kfc-roast-me-post-300x212.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/kfc-roast-me-post-768x543.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-23024\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">McDonald\u2019s wasn\u2019t the only target. (<\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/KFC_ES\/status\/1359925186250895360\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Source<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/div>\n<h2>Campaign Overview<\/h2>\n<p>It all began in January 2017 when a Twitter user asked Wendy\u2019s how they keep their beef fresh. Wendy\u2019s responded, &#8220;<strong>Where do you store cold things that aren&#8217;t frozen? I&#8217;ll wait<\/strong>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>From that day on, while other brands posted promotional content, Wendy\u2019s started conversations. And by conversations, we mean merciless roasts that left the internet in stitches.<\/p>\n<p>They fired off witty responses to customer tweets, threw shade at competitors (especially McDonald\u2019s), and declared National Roast Day an annual holiday. It quickly became a social media event where no one was safe.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_23025\" style=\"width: 790px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23025\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23025\" src=\"http:\/\/mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/mcdonalds-black-friday-post.jpg\" alt=\"mcdonalds black friday post\" width=\"780\" height=\"609\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/mcdonalds-black-friday-post.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/mcdonalds-black-friday-post-300x234.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/mcdonalds-black-friday-post-768x600.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-23025\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/funny-wendy-tweets-jokes\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Source<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>The internet loved it.<\/p>\n<p>Some iconic moments from the campaign:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A Twitter user asked Wendy\u2019s where they could find the nearest McDonald\u2019s. <strong>Wendy\u2019s replied with a trash can emoji<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>A fan tweeted, \u201cRoast me.\u201d Wendy\u2019s responded, \u201c<strong>Get one of your 51 followers to roast you instead<\/strong>.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>When someone inquired, &#8220;How much does a Big Mac cost?&#8221; Wendy&#8217;s responded, &#8220;<strong>Your dignity<\/strong>.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>T-Mobile requested a roast from Wendy&#8217;s, asking for a &#8220;10 piece spicy nugget roast.&#8221; Wendy&#8217;s responded, &#8220;<strong>10 pc for 1 bar seems like a bad trade<\/strong>.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>When Pepsi asked for a roast, Wendy\u2019s replied, \u201c<strong>We\u2019d roast you, but turning sugar water into revenue is <em>your<\/em> job<\/strong>.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The roasts were relentless, the humor was sharp, and the engagement skyrocketed. Suddenly, Wendy\u2019s became a social media legend.<\/p>\n<p>The campaign was so popular in its first year that In 2018, Wendy\u2019s created their own holiday: National Roast Day on January 4. On this day, anyone\u2014from competitors to Twitter users\u2014could ask to be roasted, and boy, did Wendy\u2019s comply!<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_23026\" style=\"width: 790px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23026\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-23026 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/national-roast-day-summary-of-posts.jpg\" alt=\"national roast day summary of posts\" width=\"780\" height=\"562\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/national-roast-day-summary-of-posts.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/national-roast-day-summary-of-posts-300x216.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/national-roast-day-summary-of-posts-768x553.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-23026\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brands loved it so much,<\/span><\/i> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">they asked for it<\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/div>\n<h2>Key Success Factors<\/h2>\n<h3>Authenticity on the grill<\/h3>\n<p>Wendy\u2019s wasn\u2019t trying to be something it wasn\u2019t. Their social media team embraced the brand\u2019s playful, confident personality and ran with it. Fans appreciated the honesty, and the brand felt more relatable than ever.<\/p>\n<h3>Mastering the art of the clapback<\/h3>\n<p>Wendy\u2019s became the undisputed champion of witty comebacks. They weren\u2019t just responding to tweets\u2014they were owning the conversation. Their roasts were clever, on-brand, and, most importantly, shareable.<\/p>\n<h3>Fueling the flames with engagement<\/h3>\n<p>Unlike other brands that talk <em>at<\/em> their audience, Wendy\u2019s talked with them. They made fans feel like they were in on the joke, creating a sense of community around the brand.<\/p>\n<h3>Rivalry with extra sauce<\/h3>\n<p>Wendy\u2019s loves to take shots at McDonald\u2019s, and fans love to watch. Their playful jabs at the Golden Arches became a recurring theme, fueling brand loyalty and keeping audiences entertained.<\/p>\n<h3>The move to TikTok<\/h3>\n<p>Wendy\u2019s took National Roast Day to TikTok in 2023, turning up the heat with a video-first format that stretched the roasting festivities from a single day to three epic days (April 12-14).<\/p>\n<p>Instead of just firing off savage tweets, Wendy\u2019s animated mascot took center stage, delivering ruthless burns through stitched and dueted videos.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" style=\"max-width: 780px; min-width: 288px;\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/nationalroastday\" data-tag-id=\"nationalroastday\" data-embed-type=\"tag\">\n<section><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/nationalroastday?refer=tag_embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#nationalroastday<\/a><\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>#nationalroastday on TikTok<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The campaign resulted in massive engagement. The #NationalRoastDay hashtag racked up over 116 million views and reached 30% of the platform\u2019s audience.<\/p>\n<p>Wendy\u2019s also gained 153,900 new followers, proving that their signature sass translates just as well to video as it does to tweets.<\/p>\n<p>The TikTok campaign was so successful that it earned Wendy\u2019s a <a href=\"https:\/\/ads.tiktok.com\/business\/en\/inspiration\/wendys-national-roast-day-tiktok?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">spotlight article<\/a> on TikTok for Business.<\/p>\n<h2>Innovative Elements<\/h2>\n<h3>National Roast Day<\/h3>\n<p>Wendy\u2019s invented holiday became an opportunity to roast fans and brands alike. The event quickly became a Twitter sensation, trending every year as users lined up to get \u201cburned.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>National Roast Day became the holiday we didn\u2019t know we needed.<\/p>\n<h3>Roasting for a cause<\/h3>\n<p>In some campaigns, Wendy\u2019s took their sass and used it for good, tying roast events to charitable causes. This added a layer of purpose to the campaign while keeping the fun intact.<\/p>\n<h3>An internet icon<\/h3>\n<p>Wendy\u2019s social media team transformed a fast-food chain into a must-follow Twitter account. Other brands have tried to replicate their approach, but none have matched their authenticity and wit.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_23028\" style=\"width: 790px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23028\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23028\" src=\"http:\/\/mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/tweet-asking-wendys-to-roast-me.jpg\" alt=\"tweet asking wendy's to roast me\" width=\"780\" height=\"936\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/tweet-asking-wendys-to-roast-me.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/tweet-asking-wendys-to-roast-me-250x300.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/tweet-asking-wendys-to-roast-me-768x922.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-23028\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Sample from a 2022 Roast Twitter feed.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<h2>Impact and Results<\/h2>\n<h3>Social media reach and engagement<\/h3>\n<p>Wendy\u2019s Twitter following skyrocketed as fans flocked to their page to see the latest burn. The campaign garnered significant attention, with Wendy&#8217;s Twitter account becoming a trending topic during National Roast Day events.<\/p>\n<p>In 2022, National Roast Day generated over <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/wendys-roast-day-tiktok?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">130 million impressions<\/a> in a matter of hours.<\/p>\n<p>Their move to TikTok expanded their audience, and they continued to crush industry averages, proving that personality-driven branding works.<\/p>\n<h3>Follower growth<\/h3>\n<p>Wendy&#8217;s social media following experienced substantial growth due to the campaign&#8217;s popularity. During a recent National Roast Day campaign on TikTok, Wendy&#8217;s saw an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/business\/en\/inspiration\/wendys-national-roast-day-tiktok?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">increase of 153,900 followers<\/a> for the brand.<\/p>\n<h3>Brand awareness and recall<\/h3>\n<p>The campaign significantly boosted Wendy&#8217;s brand visibility. TikTok reported that the 2023 campaign resulted in a 37.4% lift in Ad Recall and a 28.1% lift in Awareness.<\/p>\n<h3>Sales impact<\/h3>\n<p>While specific sales figures directly attributed to the &#8220;Roast&#8221; campaign are not publicly disclosed, Wendy\u2019s saw a real boost in sales, particularly among younger demographics who loved the brand\u2019s bold, no-BS attitude.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s more, during the 2023 National Roast Day campaign on TikTok, Wendy&#8217;s saw a 4.5% increase in store visits through foot traffic metrics.<\/p>\n<h3>Earned media goldmine<\/h3>\n<p>News outlets, influencers, and even rival brands couldn\u2019t stop talking about Wendy\u2019s roasts. The campaign generated millions in free publicity, cementing Wendy\u2019s status as a cultural phenomenon.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" style=\"max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@bobbybulsara\/video\/6933273330640309510\" data-video-id=\"6933273330640309510\">\n<section><a title=\"@bobbybulsara\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@bobbybulsara?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@bobbybulsara<\/a> Reply to @donkeypuzzy <a title=\"greenscreen\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/greenscreen?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#greenscreen<\/a> @wendys vs @tmobile was a battle for the ages \ud83d\ude02 <a title=\"nationalroastday\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/nationalroastday?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#nationalroastday<\/a> <a title=\"\u266c original sound - Bobby Bulsara\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/original-sound-6933273311350721286?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u266c original sound &#8211; Bobby Bulsara<\/a><\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Roasts were irresistibly shareable.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Marketer Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Find your brand voice\u2014and own it<\/strong>. Whether you\u2019re snarky, sincere, or somewhere in between, having a distinct voice makes your brand stand out.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Engage, don\u2019t just broadcast<\/strong>. Social media isn\u2019t a megaphone\u2014it\u2019s a conversation. Wendy\u2019s success came from actually interacting with their audience in a way that felt natural and fun.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Don\u2019t be afraid to take risks<\/strong>. Playing it safe won\u2019t get you noticed. Wendy\u2019s embraced humor and boldness, and it paid off big time.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Capitalize on trends<\/strong>. Wendy\u2019s stayed relevant by hopping on trending topics, memes, and internet culture. Timing is everything.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Want to add some fire to your own brand\u2019s marketing? Try the Media Shower AI-powered platform: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/freetrial\">Click here for a free trial.<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wendy\u2019s bold social media roasts ignited brand loyalty and engagement\u2014even their competitors joined in. Here\u2019s how humor and authenticity can set your brand apart.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":109,"featured_media":23029,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[459],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23023"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/109"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23023"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23023\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23033,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23023\/revisions\/23033"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23029"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23023"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23023"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23023"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}