Dive Brief:

• Wendy’s is getting a goth-themed makeover courtesy of “Wednesday” with a Netflix collaboration that includes a limited-time meal and app-based mobile game, according to a press release.
• The Meal of Misfortune, which drops Aug. 4 in the U.S., features packaging and food inspired by the macabre protagonist of the streaming series, such as a Raven’s Blood Frosty (actually a swirl of dark cherry syrup) and a quartet of spicy Dips of Dread. 
• Users of Wendy’s mobile app can also play an Escape from Wednesday's Woe game, dodging traps for the chance to earn restaurant rewards and win a $10,000 prize. Wendy’s is trying to turn around sales and win over Gen Z customers who have helped turn “Wednesday” into a pop culture phenomenon. 

Dive Insight:

Wendy’s is embracing the doom-and-gloom attitude of Wednesday Addams in the ramp up to the second season of a streaming series centered on the character, which lands on Netflix Aug. 6. The fast-food chain has swapped out its grinning, pigtail-sporting mascot for the scowling, raven-haired protagonist played by Jenna Ortega on its social channels and in press materials, where an illustrated Wednesday is seen below text that reads, “Pain is my recipe.” 

To that end, Wendy’s is selling a limited-time meal — purportedly developed by Wednesday herself, who claims to be against “capitalistic corporate synergy” — that could test consumer taste buds. Included in each Meal of Misfortune are two of four sauces that crank up the spice factor, and customers cannot make their own selection when ordering (each packet is branded with a question mark). 

The sauces, bearing names like This Will Sting and Grave Mistake, align with Gen Z’s interest in pushing the limit on spicy flavor profiles. Gen Z and millennials make up a large chunk of the fan base for “Wednesday,” a spinoff of “The Addams Family” that stands among Netflix’s most-watched original programming. 

The Meal of Misfortune also comes with Rest in 10-Piece Nuggets, a small order of Cursed & Crispy fries and the Raven’s Blood iteration of the Frosty, complemented by a plastic Spoon of Gloom. Packaging displays an illustrated silhouette of Wednesday’s outfit at Nevermore Academy with text reading “There’s Nothing Happy About This Meal,” as well as her favored purple-and-black color scheme.

In addition, Wendy’s is bringing the collaboration to its app in a bid to drive more mobile transactions and bolster its rewards offering. Escape from Wednesday’s Woe puts players in control of Wendy as she tries to “dodge the perils of normalcy,” aligning with Wednesday’s positioning as a social outcast. 

Other marketers are jumping on the “Wednesday” hype, including Cheetos, which earlier this week pulled off an elaborate Times Square stunt that saw Thing, a disembodied hand sidekick, break out of an LED billboard to vandalize those of other brands with cheese dust-coated fingerprints. 

For Wendy’s, tapping into a trendy cultural moment could help to turn around business in a challenging consumer environment. The chain’s Q1 same-store sales, an important measure of restaurant health, were down 2.8% year over year in the U.S.