ATLANTA, Sept. 23, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Popeyes(r) Chicken & Biscuits, the world's second-largest quick-service chicken chain, has selected Cramer-Krasselt/Chicago as its new national creative advertising agency of record. Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits is a division of AFC Enterprises, Inc. (Ticker:AFCE).
"Cramer-Krasselt demonstrated very forward-thinking strategies and real cutting-edge creative," said Tom Whitley, chief marketing officer for Popeyes. "We really like the work they have done for their other high-profile clients, especially Corona and AirTran Airways, and the resulting sales growth. We also liked that they have developed and maintained strong, long-lasting relationships with their clients. We are very excited about working with Cramer-Krasselt and are confident we will be able to develop marketing and advertising programs that will generate more excitement and greater awareness of the Popeyes brand."
A committee of Popeyes franchisee and corporate representatives selected Cramer-Krasselt. The agency will begin working immediately to develop television and radio commercial support for Popeyes products slated for the first quarter of 2004. In addition, the agency will begin developing a new Popeyes campaign that will be unveiled early next year.
"Popeyes is unique and has all the makings of a passion brand," said Peter Krivkovich, Cramer-Krasselt president and CEO. "We expect to build on that very loyal following and drive that passion into the broader market."
Popeyes is a leader in the New Orleans segment of the foodservice industry and is the world's second-largest quick-service chicken concept. Founded in 1972 in New Orleans, Popeyes has more than 1,770 locations as of September 7, 2003, in 42 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 20 other countries. Visit Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits' website at www.popeyes.com.
Popeyes is a division of AFC Enterprises, Inc., the franchisor and operator of 4,015 restaurants, bakeries and cafes as of September 7, 2003 in the United States, Puerto Rico and 35 foreign countries under the brand names Popeyes(r) Chicken & Biscuits, Church's Chicken(tm) and Cinnabon(r), and the franchisor of Seattle's Best Coffee(r) in Hawaii, on military bases and internationally. AFC's primary objective is to be the world's Franchisor of Choice(r) by offering investment opportunities in highly recognizable brands and exceptional franchisee support systems and services. AFC Enterprises(r) had system-wide sales of approximately $2.7 billion in 2002 and can be found on the World Wide Web at www.afce.com.
Rapidly growing Cramer-Krasselt is the fourth-largest independent agency in the United States with billings exceeding $500 million. Recently profiled for its creativity in Communication Arts, the agency is headquartered in Chicago, and with offices in New York, Milwaukee, Phoenix and Orlando, Fla. Its client list is representative of major brands across virtually every industry. They include: AirTran Airways, Allen-Edmonds Shoes, CareerBuilder, Corona Beer, Hyatt Hotels, Krispy Kreme/New York, LaSalle Bank, Master Lock, Moen, Service Master, Ski-Doo, Valvoline Instant Oil Change and Winn-Dixie supermarkets. Cramer-Krasselt's public relations subsidiary, CKPR, is ranked among the nation's top 20 agencies. For more information, visit Cramer-Krasselt at www.c-k.com.