The Better Choice Breakfast Ballad centered around Wendy’s new breakfast offerings, including the Breakfast Baconator and the cleverly titled Frosty-ccino. The film aired in Annie Live (a live television reproduction of the original musical) featuring actual characters from Annie – the Boylan Sisters – and performed by the actors who played these roles in the live broadcast. The Boylan sisters sang an original jingle that was reminiscent of a 1930s radio track. Created to match the style and tone of the original Annie era, the characters sang the praises of modern day breakfast options from Wendy’s. As a result, the track almost felt as if it were an extension of the musical itself. By authentically connecting with fans in a thoughtful way that enhances versus detracts from the platform, Wendy’s new song added to the musical experience for fans in a fresh, new and memorable way (and with more bacon!).

When it comes to iconic musicals, Annie is at the top of just about any list. Millions of people around the world remember growing up with Annie and associating it with one of their favorite and first entertainment experiences. In 2021, a year when going to the theater was just about impossible, Annie was broadcast live on NBC with a far more diverse cast than ever before. At the same time, NBC advertising partner Wendy’s was promoting their new breakfast menu, a day part that launched during the pandemic and was vital to business growth. So when Annie’s Boylan sisters sang a little ditty promoting their breakfast offerings, fans were introduced to both a delicious new morning meal and an entirely new catchy song track - that naturally belonged as part of the show performance.

Since the Better Choice Breakfast Ballad aired in a live broadcast, the actual characters from the live show were the stars of the track and recorded the original the morning of the show. The goal was to create a number that perfectly mirrored not only the Annie era, but the show itself, all while staying true to Wendy’s established brand voice – clever, with a wink to the audience (and in this case, a LIVE audience).The result was a new song (and film) that kept viewers entertained and in the show’s time period because it was an extension of the live performance.