ATLANTA, Jan. 23, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Popeyes(r) Chicken & Biscuits, a division of AFC Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq:AFCE), has selected Fogarty Klein Monroe as its new national creative advertising agency of record. The agency will begin working immediately to develop creative campaigns for Popeyes products slated to launch later in the year.
"Fogarty Klein Monroe (FKM) has an insightful understanding of the Popeyes brand, our products and our unique qualities," said Rob Calderin, chief marketing officer for Popeyes. "With a new strategic creative partner in place, we can now focus our efforts on developing a fully-integrated marketing campaign that will solidly establish the uniqueness of the Popeyes brand and increase consumer desire to visit our restaurants in the face of very aggressive competitive spending. We are very excited about working with FKM and are confident that together we will be able to develop marketing and advertising programs that will generate more excitement and greater awareness of the Popeyes brand."
FKM's first assignment will involve the execution and rollout of a new advertising campaign that has been in development for several months. Working with FKM, which has served as a regional agency for the Brand for over a year, Popeyes began the process of creating a new campaign in late 2005.
"We're thrilled to win an assignment like this from Popeyes. They are a brand with a great product and a truly unique flavor profile that differentiates them from all the competitors in their space," said Bill Fogarty, Fogarty Klein Monroe Principal and Co-founder. "We're looking forward to helping them continue the sales momentum they established in 2005."
The new campaign focuses on Popeyes flavorful food with an emphasis on the distinct characteristics that set Popeyes apart from other restaurants in the chicken QSR segment. The advertising highlights the quality and uniqueness of the food as well as the brand's New Orleans culinary heritage, something no other restaurant chain in the segment can claim. It continues the tone of recent Popeyes advertising, such as the successful introduction campaign for Popeyes Big Flava Chicken Deluxe Sandwich in October 2005, which FKM created.
"Popeyes is a creative team's dream -- a brand with an actual difference. And the advertising will revel in that difference," said Tom Monroe, Fogarty Klein Monroe Principal and Chief Creative Officer. "The campaign will star the Popeyes food, co-star the food and feature the food in all supporting roles."
Founded in 1972 in New Orleans, Popeyes is a leader in the New Orleans segment of the foodservice industry and is the world's second-largest quick-service chicken concept. As of December 25, 2005, Popeyes had 1,828 locations in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam and 25 foreign countries. For more information, visit Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits' Web site at www.popeyes.com.
Celebrating its 25-year anniversary in 2005, Fogarty Klein Monroe is one of the Southwest's largest marketing communications agencies, with $230 million in annual billings. FKM offers advertising, public relations, interactive, direct marketing, yellow pages and new media services. Headquartered in Houston and voted one of the Houston Business Journal's Best Places to Work in 2004, the agency also has offices in Dallas and Austin. For more information, please visit Fogarty Klein Monroe online at www.fkmagency.com.