wearable billboards
Winter 2020, around 5 PM. My colleague Ben Doessel and I were smoking outside the Leo Burnett office when we saw people walking by. We thought, 'Wish they were advertising billboards...' and had an 'AHA!' moment - Human Billboards! We called our ECD, Mikal Pittman, and he loved the idea.
How does a chicken wing brand compete with big fast-food companies' billboard budgets? Let the fans wear the messages. Our die-hard supporters became walking, talking ambassadors for our brand, sporting our messages proudly.
THE TAKEOUT "Wingstop wants to turn you into a billboard"
AD AGE "Wingstop moves its out-of-home budget into hoodies-and pays fans to wear them"
THRILLIST "Wingstop will give you cash and merch if you wear its new ad sweaters"
INC. MAGAZINE "Wingstop is paying fans to create ads"
YAHOO “Wingstop’s free merch comes with one condition: It’s an ad”
One thousand sweatshirts
Gone In Seconds and
worn with enthusiasm
Fans everywhere got to feel like brand influencers
who said billboard is over?
what’s covid-19?
Me becoming ad
selling chicken wing
291 MM Total Impressions.
69% Increased Revenue.
Agency: Leo Burnett, Chicago
Client: Wingstop
ECD: Mikal Pittman
CD: Ben Pfutzenreuter
AD: Sheldon Cheon, Rob Mcdowell, James Lee
CW: Ben Doessel