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Have you heard the legend of the guy who traversed the wilderness bareback on a buffalo wing? If you haven’t, chicken chain Zaxby’s has quite the tale for you.
The brand collaborated with Knoxville-based independent agency and AOR Tombras on a two-minute spot, which launched during the College Football Playoff National Championship game between Georgia and Alabama. “Guy on a Buffalo Wing” pays homage to the viral “Guy on a Buffalo” video series by band Jomo and the Possum Posse. Adopting the same rambling narrative style, the song follows a man riding a literal buffalo wing in nature when he stumbles upon a plate of Zaxby’s new Buffalo Garlic Blaze boneless wing meal.
For the melodic spot, the creative team brought in the original band to recapture the novelty of the source material. Fans of the decade-old “Guy on a Buffalo” series may not immediately spot a natural tie between the folksy jaunt and fast food, but they’ll enjoy the ending cameo from the original “Guy,” Rick Guinn.
A well-seasoned meme
While visualizing the campaign, the brand hopes that quirky direction will draw in a crowd despite the seemingly random concept.
“With launching the new Buffalo Garlic Blaze sauce, we saw an opportunity to create a campaign that is a little unexpected while still staying true to Zaxby’s brand,” said Dooley Tombras, president of Tombras, in a statement. “‘Guy on a Buffalo Wing’ is impossible to look away from, the kind of campaign that will make diners wonder what they’re missing and have to try it for themselves.”
“By originating the ‘Guy on a Buffalo Wing,’ we wanted to generate a campaign as memorable as our new sauce,” added Zaxby’s CMO, Joel Bulger.
Zaxby’s and Tombras did manage to generate some online buzz after the spot’s initial launch with commenters commending the team for its use of a deep cut bit of pop culture. The brand is also promoting the official #GuyOnABuffaloWing hashtag on the campaign’s dedicated webpage, where fans can follow his adventures and enter for a chance to purchase or receive campaign merch.
“Guy on a Buffalo Wing” will air regionally during Super Bowl 56.
