The year was 1984. The fast-food landscape was dominated by two giants: McDonald’s and Burger King. But a third player, Wendy’s, was making its mark with a new advertising campaign. This would not only boost its sales but also embed a simple, three-word phrase into the American lexicon:
“Where’s the beef?”
The campaign, created by the ad agency Dancer Fitzgerald Sample, centered on three elderly women. These old ladies were discerning fast-food critics. The star of the commercial was the feisty, bespectacled Clara Peller.
In the now-classic commercial, the women are presented with a giant, pillowy bun from a fictional competitor. They ooh and aah over the size of the bun, but then, Clara, with her gravelly, no-nonsense voice, peers under the lid and exclaims in exasperation, “Where’s the beef?”
Obviously, the question was aimed at Wendy’s competitors. It suggested their burgers were all fluff and no substance. Wendy’s, in contrast, boasted of its larger, square patties that hung over the bun, proving they had plenty of beef. Continue reading