‘I think this will be the biggest campaign for a new product in Wendy’s history,’ Toronto-based Andy Lubinsky, director of marketing for Wendy’s Canada, tells MiC. ‘We’re going 360 for our new Frescata sandwiches.’

The deli-style products arrived in restaurants across Canada last Friday, and on April 9, TV spots created by MacLaren McCann Toronto will break on national networks and local outlets as well as Heavy.com. Lubinsky says print ads will appear in spring and summer issues of women’s magazine including: Chatelaine, Homemakers, Flare, Canadian Living, Style at Home and Today’s Parent. Media planning, including newspaper and radio buys, are being handled by Toronto’s M2Universal.

Aimed at a target demo of adults 18-49, the initiative’s pointed tagline is: ‘Anything less than a Frescata sandwich would be a sub sandwich.’ Lubinsky says Wendy’s is putting particular emphasis on local efforts, with Toronto’s Ketchum Public Relations Canada arranging many sampling events, partnered with local media outlets.

As well, he adds, ‘Something I think is particularly powerful is engaging our restaurants in ways that are bigger and better than we’ve ever done. Activation kits have been sent to all our franchisees, and there will be a lot of crew rallies and parties to let (staffers) sample the products and really become ambassadors for them.’