In an extremely competitive market, fast food brands must differentiate themselves. They have identified that creator and celebrity marketing can be valuable assets in achieving various goals.
These partnerships have been well-liked for a while, but since 2020, the idea of fast-food brands turning to creator marketing has become wildly popular. Fast food brands transitioned into full-fledged lifestyle brands, relying on collaborations to reach teenagers.
Celebrities influence young people. After all, according to YPulse’s creators and celebrities report, 49% of 13-39-year-olds have purchased something online recommended by a key opinion leader.
Top Fast-Food Celebrity Partnerships
Here are a few examples of leading brands that have collaborated with today’s biggest celebrities and creators to reach young consumers:
Tim Horton’s jumps on celeb-menu trend with Justin Bieber
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Tim Hortons, the coffee chain, reported some much-needed sales growth due to Justin Bieber’s doughnut collaboration.
Tim Hortons and Justin Bieber announced the co-branded launch, which included limited edition “Timbiebs Timbits” in three flavors chosen by the Canadian pop star.
Tim Hortons’ sales increased by more than 10% in the fourth quarter of 2021, following an 11% decline in the same period the previous year.
This was one of the more successful traffic-driving initiatives in recent history, and the company’s marketing department has seen high-profit exceeding the brand’s all expectations.
McDonald’s Celebrity Partnerships Drive Mobile Growth
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McDonald’s debuted the Travis Scott Meal and immediately launched a cross-device digital marketing campaign to promote it.
The primary platform was Snapchat, which has a large number of Gen Z users who got engaged with this campaign due to its focus on Scott.
The campaign was so successful that McDonald’s ran out of its signature Quarter Pounders.
Wells Fargo stated unequivocally that the Travis Scott Meal assisted the brand in connecting with an audience that’s been a weak spot over the past 20 years, referring specifically to consumers aged 11 to 24.
KFC and Jack Harlow Set the Table for a New Celebrity Meal
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KFC expanded its partnership with rapper Jack Harlow by introducing the “Jack Harlow Meal,” a new combo meal hand-selected by Harlow himself.
The move is the latest in a long line of celebrity-studded collaborations between restaurant chains and celebrities as brands compete for the attention of new and younger customers.
Atlanta residents were the first to try the Jack Harlow Meal while listening to Jack’s new album through an Instagram-worthy KFC x Jack Harlow bucket speaker.
Dunkin’ Creates an Original Drink, “The Charli”
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Dunkin’ Donuts has collaborated with TikToker Charli D’Amelio to create a signature drink in the fall of 2020.
Millions of people have watched the video of the influencer picking up her drink at one of the brand’s drive-throughs.
The collaboration surpassed the brand’s expectations, with “hundreds of thousands” of drinks sold in the first five days of the campaign’s launch.
The company also reported a 20% increase in cold drink sales on the day of the launch and a 45% increase the following day.
Foxies Bakery via Micro-Influencers
Foxies Bake Shop is a bakery in Toronto known for its monstrous specialty cookies.
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This bakery is on top of its digital marketing strategy, having gone national with an eCommerce store.
Through its creator marketing strategy, the bakery has established a significant online presence and generated leads.
In a Nutshell
Fast-Food brands have a wide range of creative tools for creator marketing, depending on celebrities or micro-influencers, inviting KOLs to co-create a collection or a product, and setting up 100% digital or in-store campaigns! If you are looking to use influencer marketing and are trying to find the right Creator, Glewee has over 5,000 pre-vetted creators waiting to talk to YOU!
