Whataburger Takes Flight into the Great Wing Debate with WhataWings Launch

Whataburger, the rapidly growing, fast-food icon, celebrated for its legendary burgers, announces its foray into the world of chicken wings with the debut of All-New Boneless WhataWings, an enticing creation set to make the New Year a whole lot saucier. Each order of WhataWings comes with nine 100% white-meat chicken tender bites tossed in one of Whataburger’s signature sauces, including Honey Butter, Buffalo, Honey BBQ, and Sweet & Spicy.

In collaboration with agency of record, McGarrah Jessee, Whataburger is debuting WhataWings via a tongue-in-cheek campaign that dives into the current wing culture debate: Is it truly a chicken wing without the bone? Inspired by lively discussions on Reddit, the WhataWings campaign is a light hearted exploration of wing culture. By addressing boneless sceptics directly, it aims to diffuse the debate, shifting the narrative to what really matters – delectable flavour, bold sauces, and premium chicken.

“Our customers and superfans are clever. They deserve an ad campaign that gives a wink and a nod to their kitschy sense of humour,” said Whataburger vice president of marketing and communications, Donna Tuttle. “It was exciting to unleash the creativity of McGarrah Jessee and the Whataburger team.”

The campaign, directed by Laura Murphy and produced by Gravy Films and The Voorhes, debuts with a :30 TV spot featuring a fictional city council meeting, where an aggrieved resident protests WhataWings from Whataburger because “real wings have bones,” and Whataburger’s famous sauces “do not turn WhataWings into real wings.” It’s a joke aimed at boneless wing naysayers, but it’s not a joke for customers who fervently debate the true definition of a wing. The integrated campaign will run across TV, radio, outdoor, digital, social, and gaming.

“I'm thrilled to unveil our latest commercial - a testament to our fun-loving brand and the passion of our highly engaged fans with strong opinions,” said Whataburger director of advertising and media, Brooks Boenig. “We aimed to amplify the freshness of our new WhataWings with an entirely new, comedic approach, making a bold statement.”

For those who still need convincing, Whataburger is rolling out a limited edition 'Boneless Bone' utensil, paired with a wet wipe, to satisfy the chicken wing traditionalists. The campaign also includes playful social videos featuring user-generated content to highlight WhataWing sauces; branded 'saucy sweatsuit' apparel; and a teaser video featuring a truckload of Whataburger napkins.

WhataWings will be available at all Whataburger locations starting Jan 2nd, 2024, for a limited time.

"In tackling the boneless wings conundrum, we embraced the absurdity of the debate with gusto and a healthy dose of self-awareness, acknowledging that boneless wings aren't technically wings. Instead, we're inviting folks to indulge in a delicious argument, regardless of which side you're on," said Tim Roan, chief creative officer, McGarrah Jessee. "Beyond introducing a new LTO product, this campaign is a playful introduction of Whataburger to a wider audience, showcasing the brand's personality as they spread their wings (see what I did there?) across the country.”