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Popeyes® UK has launched its first nationwide brand campaign to bring the vibrant spirit and feel good flavours of Popeyes® chicken to life. The hyper-targeted campaign, titled ‘What New Orleans Flavour Feels Like’ launches this summer across dynamic audio, connected TV, social and digital display.

Packing unrivalled flavour from the juicy fresh chicken to the Shatter Crunchin’ coating,
people will never forget the first time they experience the famous Popeyes® Chicken
Sandwich. Created in partnership with creative company Cygnus, this campaign marks the brand’s shift from cult status to mass craving, with a focus on reaching chicken lovers across the spaces they live, stream, and scroll.

‘What New Orleans Flavour Feels Like’ brings to life the joy and spirit behind Popeyes®
food. It’s the first chapter of UK brand storytelling, rooted in the rich, expressive culture of New Orleans. Through immersive sound, vibrant visuals, and vivid language, it celebrates the craft and love that goes into making Popeyes® famed chicken: marinated for 12 hours in bold Louisiana seasoning, hand battered and breaded for a famous Shatter Crunch.

Dynamic audio is at the heart of the campaign; the ads deliver smart, hyper-relevant audio based on time of day, listener location, and even mealtime mood. Whether it's lunchtime in London or late-night in Liverpool, audiences are served what their tastebuds are craving, just when they need to hear it. The campaign also introduces Popeyes®' first use of the iconic sonic branding “Love That Chicken”, a jingle set to worm its way into the front of listeners' minds.

Popeyes® will also be sponsoring popular podcast The Buckleys throughout the summer, where listeners will be treated to a discount code via a bespoke audio ad read by genuine Popeyes® superfans James and Clair Buckley.

Beyond audio, Cygnus, working alongside production partner Tatata Studios, created a 30-second connected TV ad that celebrates the craft, love and care that goes into making the iconic Chicken Sandwich. With a joyous street band acting as a visual metaphor for the sandwich’s flavour explosion, it playfully portrays the eating experience as ‘a jazz band playing on your tastebuds’.

Meanwhile, dynamic display placements adapt to their surroundings, showing local city names, adjusting messages by time of day, and using smart retargeting to keep customers’ craving wherever they are online.

"This campaign is our tribute to the soul and sound of New Orleans that's in our DNA," said Mike Tinnion, Creative Director at Popeyes® UK. We wanted a campaign that celebrated our brand truths and heroed our famous Chicken Sandwich, that according to Bloomberg ‘Broke the Internet’. Popeyes® is fast becoming the most loved QSR chicken brand in the UK, and we can’t wait for more of the nation to discover it!"

Cygnus Executive Creative Director, Jamie Rayner added: “New Orleans is Popeyes’ USP. It’s a party city, defined by its joyful vibe and bold, uninhibited approach toward food, dress, and behaviour. ‘What New Orleans Flavour Feels Like’ captures that essence, celebrating
not only a unique eating experience, but also Popeyes’ ability to be unapologetically itself,
bringing joy to every occasion.”

The campaign rolled out nationwide from 23rd June across audio spots, including Spotify, connected TV channels, and high-impact dynamic display placements, through media partner StackAdapt.

Creds:
Popeyes UK Marketing Director: Vicky Barber
Popeyes UK Creative Director: Mike Tinnion
Popeyes UK Senior Brand Manager: Lizzie Griffin
Creative Agency: Cygnus
Managing Partner: Marcus Swift
Executive Creative Director: Jamie Rayner
Creative Lead: Mathew Kramer
Design Lead: Ben Lupton
Head of Client Services: Laura Mills
Junior Account Director: Roxanne Golding
Account Manager: Helena Thannhauser
Media Partner: StackAdapt
Production company (Visual): Tatata Studios
Director: Adam Rae
Producer: Adam Rae
DOP: Miles Ridgway
Casting Director: Adriana Macridakis
Editors: Ian Robertson, Nick Horne
Post-production company: Tatata Studios
Colourist: Caroline Morin
Audio production company: A Million Ads
Sound studio: The Voiceover Gallery
Sound engineer: Barney Brookes