pdq
drive-thru
thanksgiving
PDQ is known solely for specializing in chicken. So, when they
wanted to launch new, limited-time turkey items for Thanksgiving,
they needed a little help. PPK took what could be a confusing
promotion and turned it into the best-selling LTO in the company’s
history.
the
challenge
PDQ is known solely for specializing in chicken. So, when they
wanted to launch new, limited-time turkey items for Thanksgiving,
they needed a little help. Competing with the likes of Chik-Fil-A,
it was critical not to blur lines when it came to the brand’s core
focus, while still being able to tap into a lucrative seasonal
trend.
the
strategy
Positioning the offering as an entire Thanksgiving meal, allowed
us to be bold in our creative and make it clear this was a
holiday-specific, limited-time promotion you did not want to miss.
In addition to the new turkey sandwich, PDQ was unveiling sweet
potato friends and a pumpkin pie shake as the perfect sides. It’s
like they were destined to be marketed as the essential holiday
combo. You can’t have turkey without sides – and you can’t have
sides without dessert. A Thanksgiving meal designed to fit through
the drive-thru window.
the
results
We had three months to boost sales across the South and
Northeast store locations - a small window during a time
when holiday promotions are on overdrive. In-store display
screens featured each item on a constant rotation, a nod
to courses being passed around a Thanksgiving table.
Strategically placed digital OOH and targeted broadcast
radio worked together to reach consumers at multiple
touchpoints. At the end of the three months, the LTO
outperformed sales expectations 4-to-1. Sales increased
significantly, setting a new bar for the QSR and making it
the best-selling promotion in PDQ’s history.
