Pending Question Answered Nearly Three Decades Later

Here's the Beef

Nearly three decades ago, in 1984, Wendy’s advertised a question to its consumers: Where’s the Beef? Now, 27 years later, Wendy’s answers its question very simply: Here’s the Beef.

The original advertisement featured Clara Peller irritably asking this question. It became such a popular campaign that people all across the nation used it as a catchphrase. Wendy’s runs the new Here’s the Beef campaign, while incorporating snippets from the old commercials from the 80s. This campaign brings a sense of nostalgia of Wendy’s previous success, while hoping to get a step ahead in the hamburger wars of 2011.

Because of the declining economy, fast food chains have intensified the seriousness of the burger wars. As consumers face more financial hardship, they turn to fast food for cheap meals. This pits fast food restaurant chains like Checkers, In-N-Out, Five Guys, McDonald’s and Wendy’s against each other in a fight for the best burger around.

With this new campaign, Wendy’s is promoting its newest line of Dave’s Hot ‘N Juicy Cheeseburgers. It is named after the restaurant’s founder, R. David Thomas. Thomas appeared in over 800 commercials from 1989 to the time he died in 2002.

Snippets from the original commercial began airing Sunday. Beginning Monday, Wendy’s will release two new commercials. The first features Reid Ewing from Modern Family confused as to what the ruckus is about the return of “Where’s the beef?” In the commercial, he learns what it means, begins using the phrase regularly, and even purchases vintage paraphernalia. At the end of the commercial viewers see him standing outside a Wendy’s observing a poster that says, “Here’s the beef!”

The second commercial to be released Monday features and actor and actress playing the rolls of R. David Thomas and his young daughter, Wendy. The scene cuts to the real life Melinda Lou Morse (aka Wendy Thomas). She promotes the new cheeseburgers herself, and even gives her late father’s endorsement.

The Senior Vice President for Brand Marketing for Wendy’s, Bob Holtcamp says that the campaign for these new burger is double the typical product launch marketing budget. Wendy’s will feature these campaigns in digital banner ads, on prominent social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, through outdoor ads, radio commercials, and print advertisements.

Holtcamp says that the release of the new cheeseburgers are a step in Wendy’s current process to revamp the core of its menu. The company has worked to improve its food over the past couple of years. Last year, Wendy’s transitioned from offering regular french fries to selling Natural-Cut Fries with Sea Salt.

The muse behind the name Wendy’s, Melinda Lou Morse, age 50, proclaims that her father would feel proud that these burgers have been named after him. She states that her father would have agreed in proclaiming, “Here’s the beef!”