Bob's Your Uncle

How Popeyes Kept the Buzz Alive for Its Chicken Sandwich

The most anticipated chicken sandwich in North America arrived in Canada with a strategy built on access, anticipation, and social proof — led in part by Bob’s Your Uncle.

Popeyes’ U.S. launch created unprecedented demand. In Canada, the brand used Twitter, OOH, and influencer-powered momentum — including BYU-developed “The List” — to re-energize fans and reward early adopters.

Coverage

Strategy — “How Popeyes kept up the buzz for its chicken sandwich”

URL: https://strategyonline.ca/2020/10/16/how-popeyes-kept-up-the-buzz-for-its-chicken-sandwich/

“‘The List’ was handled by agency Bob’s Your Uncle… allowing fans to explain why they deserved early access.”

“The push resulted in more than 184,000 impressions, over 1.3 million engagements and 527 media coverage pieces.”

“More than 760,000 sandwiches were sold in the first week in Canada.”

Why This Matters

This was not a launch — it was a cultural event.

1. Turning anticipation into activation

Instead of announcing the sandwich, Popeyes built an invitation — and BYU helped shape the mechanic.

2. The power of “advance access”

“The List” tapped into fandom, scarcity, and social validation — a uniquely potent combination.

3. Enormous results

1.3M engagements
527 media stories
760,000 sandwiches sold in week one
A massive cross-Canada rollout

4. Reinforcing Popeyes as a challenger king

This campaign cemented Popeyes’ cultural leadership in QSR — playful, confident, and fan-powered.

Case & Videos

https://www.bobsyouruncle.com/work/popeyes-chicken-sandwich-launch