Fast food was fun when it emerged decades ago. It was emotive. It was a treat. Over time, it became cold and functional, and Wendy’s fell by the wayside in the American imagination. In a category dominated by McDonald’s, which has nearly three restaurants for every one of ours, Wendy’s will never be the most readily available or convenient. Our best chance at thriving is to be more meaningful than functional to consumers. For the last five years, Wendy’s standing brief has been “Make America fall in love with Wendy’s again.” While older generations have fond memories of Wendy’s, 18- to 34-year-olds — fast food’s most frequent consumers — knew the brand as a hamburger restaurant their parents and grandparents liked.

Therefore, our objective was to rekindle the spark and love that America once had for Wendy’s.