Sesums

Wendy’s Restaurant got around to changing their company ad slogan and in doing so, managed to get themselves added to the list of businesses who really don’t know how to appease their clientele. (It’s an unofficial list). I’m well-aware that this change isn’t incredibly recent, but I keep seeing the ads on tv and they’ve bothered me to a point where I had to finally say something.

Although varying slightly between Canada and the US, I have to say that it’s the Canadian version of the slogan that actually bothers me more so in this instance. Whereas in the US the slogan is, “It’s Waaaaaaaay better than fast food”. (Uhhhh, it IS fast food, dummies). The Canadian slogan is an inexplicable, “It’s Waaaaaaaay Delicious”.

Now I don’t know about you, but when I need to describe something with emphasis, I find that throwing in a “waaaaaay” before an adjective is the best means of doing so. Such as:
“That cottage cheese is waaaaaaaay smelly. Throw it out.”
Or “Your garden is waaaaaaaay dirty! Put some flowers in it, dum dum!”

Kidding aside, I don’t know how the brand team at Wendy’s could ever think that this slogan would ever have any appeal to their business’ demographic whatsoever. I mean, how do you think that slogan brainstorm session went?

“Alright team. Wendy’s needs a new slogan. So what do we know about their demographic?”
“They’re stupid!”
“They don’t understand the meaning of the word “really”!”
“They’re under 21, and are therefore uneducated street people who don’t know how to talk!”
“Those are all some waaaaaaaay good observations team. Keep it up.”
“What about the rest of the population that doesn’t fall into the “uneducated adolescent street people” category? You know, like, normal people?”
…
“You’re fired Johnson.”

Anyways, the point I’m attempting to make here is, although I may not be fall in Wendy’s key demographic when it comes to marketing, I was young once, and certainly don’t ever remember using something like “waaaaaaaay” as a descriptive word. Even when with friends. In fact, I’m pretty certain I have never heard that word used to describe something, ever. And I have nephews. And they DO fall into that demographic. And if they ever were caught speaking in such a manner I would hope an adult (such as myself) would be close enough, and have enough good sense to smack them across the back of their heads and say “Smarten up! – You’re not a dumb douchebag”.

We’re not dumb douchebags, so stop pandering to us like we are. Appealing to the lowest common denominator, especially when it comes to branding, only contributes to reinforcing societal idiocy as acceptable and patronizes the rest of the population with half a brain who knows better.

“That was a waaaaaaaay neat article, Nev!”

Thank-you waaaaaaaay much.