Chicken wings have long been a game-day staple during football season, something that sports bar chain and wing expert Buffalo Wild Wings knows all too well. So for the start of the season it has teamed up with former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce to promote its signature product along with a new sauce and select menu items.
In an advertising campaign featuring Kelce and Hank, Buffalo Wild Wings’ winged buffalo mascot, the two apparent friends extol the virtues of football, the casual-dining chain, and the fact that the two go so well together.
In a 15-second spot, Hank discusses how both he and Kelce enjoy honey barbecue wings, making them like the brothers they never had, although Kelce points out that he already has a brother (that would be Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end, but probably best known as Taylor Swift’s boyfriend).
In a 30-second ad, Kelce is on the phone with Hank expressing regret about retiring from football and the winged buffalo cheers up the athlete by taking him to Buffalo Wild Wings to enjoy a meal and a game.
The campaign also is promoting “Kelce’s Picks,” his favorite menu items to enjoy while watching games. Those picks are 10 traditional wings in a new Buffalo Bacon sauce, and a Triple Bacon Cheeseburger, made with two smashed beef patties seared with bacon and topped with thick-cut bacon, American cheese, shredded iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, bacon aïoli on a challah bun.
The chain has also rolled out a limited-edition T-shirt with Kelce and Hank that can be bought at T-shirt website homage.com. A portion of proceeds from the sale will be donated to Kelce’s charity, (Be)Philly, whose mission is to benefit Philadelphia’s youth.
Along with the new sauce, Buffalo Wild Wings has also introduced several other items with bacon at its more than 1,300 restaurants: A BLT sandwich, a Bacon Patty Melt, and a Bacon Mac & Cheese Burger.
Kelce is a self-proclaimed lover of thick-cut bacon, as evidenced in the Kelce brothers’ Podcast series, New Heights, produced by Wave Sports + Entertainment.
Buffalo Wild Wings also said Jason Kelce is a fan of traditional wings, as opposed to the “boneless” kind made from chicken breast, as indicated by his selection of bone-in wings as one of his picks.
In a statement released by Buffalo Wild Wings parent company Inspire Brands, Kelce explained why he was partnering with Buffalo Wild Wings.
“After retirement, I found myself looking for the next best spot to catch all the action. As a longtime fan, I am amped to show fans why Buffalo Wild Wings is the place for football,” he said. “It has the best wings and sauces, wall-to-wall TVs and plenty of beer options on draft. Plus, my menu picks upgrade any football occasion.”
The chain’s chief marketing officer, Tristan Meline, explained in a statement why Kelce was a good fit for the brand.
"We are thrilled to partner with Jason for the upcoming season,” Meline said. "Jason loves watching games in our sports bars. We're excited to have him hanging out with Hank the Buffalo to show people why Buffalo Wild Wings is the best place to watch football."
Other chains have also expanded their wing offerings in the runup to the NFL season. Bojangles has introduced wings as a limited-time offer, along with a new house-made ranch dressing that will be available indefinitely.
Popeyes has introduced a new wing item in a sweet and smokey chipotle coating.
Twin Peaks has introduced two new wing sauces, one inspired by the trendy Chinese condiment chile crisp, and another by the Indian dish chicken tikka.
Norm’s, a casual-dining concept in Los Angeles, has introduced bone-in wings through late October, and Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken recently added wings to its menu indefinitely.
Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected]
