ARCHIVES: This is legacy content from before Marketing Dive acquired Mobile Marketer in early 2017. Some information, such as publication dates, may not have migrated over. Check out the new Marketing Dive site for the latest marketing news.

Wendy?s propels brand with incentivized mobile, social push

Wendy?s is enticing consumers to learn more about its new Flatbread Grilled Chicken sandwich and connect with the brand on Twitter through an interactive mobile social campaign.

The company is advertising within Twitter?s Web and mobile platforms. The fast food giant is smart to add social media into the marketing mix to build an ongoing dialogue with consumers.

?Wendy?s Flatbread Grilled Chicken sandwich digital effort takes advantage of the popular food spotting trend,? said Denny Lynch, senior vice president of communications at Wendy?s International.

?Beginning April 2, customers are encouraged to tweet a photo of their Flatbread Grilled Chicken sandwich @Wendys using the hashtag #twEATfor1K for a chance to win $1,000 that day,? he said.

?For every sandwich photo tweeted with #twEATfor1K, customers increase their chances of winning $1,000.?

Social interaction
The Wendy?s Twitter promotion encourages consumers to tweet a picture of its new Flatbread sandwich to @Wendys using the hashtag #twEATfor1K.

By doing so, consumers are entered for a chance to win $1,000. Wendy?s is choosing a new winner each day.

Through the mobile and social campaign, consumers can learn more about the company?s new sandwiches, as well as browse the latest tweets to see other pictures and entries.

This new campaign from Wendy?s has several layers to drive consumer engagement. There are social elements to build interaction and then there is the incentive ? $1,000 ? to not only get the consumer?s attention for the initial click-through, but also continue the conversation after it.

?Wendy's does a terrific job with their new #Tweatfor1k social media campaign,? said Dave Levy, executive vice president/cofounder of SocialVibe. ?Looking at what factors lead consumers to take social actions with a media campaign, Wendy's nailed each one.

?Marketers need to think short term ? what is the immediate benefit a consumer will get for taking a social action,? he said. ?Make choices and pick one social action and go with it ? don't confuse the message.

?Finally, make it seamless to choose actions and media channels that create the least barriers.?

Mr. Levy is not affiliated with Wendy's. He commented based on his expertise on the subject.

Past efforts
Wendy?s is no stranger when it comes to mobile.

In 2011, the company drove consumers to its locations to try its new hamburgers via two geotargeted mobile ad campaigns (see story).

Most recently, Wendy?s made mobile a big part of its marketing efforts with a campaign that aimed to increase in-store traffic and bolster brand awareness (see story).

?Wendy's message couldn't be more clear with the benefit that the consumer will receive, while the tactic is not likely repeatable it is certainly effective,? Mr. Levy said.

?They also clearly made this a Twitter specific initiative and made it incredibly clear what they wanted the consumer to do,? he said.

?It should be no surprise that #Tweatfor1k is already a trending topic.?

Final Take
Rimma Kats is associate editor on Mobile Marketer, New York