New Noodles & Company Biggest Fan Campaign Highlights Diverse Menu

Feb. 17, 2023

Noodles & Company is out with a new campaign showcasing the celebration of trying a new favorite dish for the first time and highlighting the benefits of breaking routine at mealtime.

In a national 30-second spot created by marketing agency Fortnight Collective, a Noodles & Company waitress snaps a Polaroid of a smartly dressed Gen Z customer as he tries a new dish. Taking the photo, he says, "You can only try a dish for the first time once" and pulls out a scrapbook documenting his different "first" pasta dishes offered at the national chain and ending with his first Wisconsin Mac & Cheese.

The waitress opens a locket hanging from her neck to show a photo of said mac and cheese: "This was mine," she says, to which he replies in awe, "You get it."

Adam Chasnow, chief creative officer at Fortnight said:

"Noodles & Company was not getting the credit they deserved for their incredibly diverse array of menu options. Our campaign aims to solve that misconception and, as a result, increase the frequency of guest visits given their menu’s ability to satisfy any appetite or craving."

 

The campaign launched in 31 states on Feb. 14. It’s using video, social, web and display on YouTube, CTV, Facebook and Instagram as well as programmatic and social and digital banners. Besides :30 and :15 "Biggest Fan" videos, Fortnight also created :30 and :15 food-focused videos.

To encourage trials of its menu, Noodles & Company offers a Noodles Goodness Guarantee to replace any dish that didn't quite do the trick. Later this year, the brand will debut a revamped, even more rewarding loyalty program.

Stacey Pool, chief marketing officer at Noodles & Company said:

"While choice is great, sometimes so many options can make our menu feel overwhelming. This can force guests to default to 'the usual', and while there is nothing wrong with having a favorite dish, we also want to expose our guests to the breadth of our menu. We chose to embrace this tension and highlight the benefits of breaking routine. By positioning our vast menu as an opportunity for exploration, we unlocked a way to celebrate the 'first time' you try your new favorite dish."

 

Fortnight won the business in 2020 and kicked off Noodles & Company's "Uncommon Goodness" brand positioning, which points to its reputation for culinary innovation, fresh made-to-order dishes, extraordinary team-member benefits, rewards offers, unique guest experiences and positive impact on communities.

Hungry Man Productions' LJ Johnson directed this latest "Noodles’ Biggest Fan" work. Consistently voted one of the top commercial production companies globally since its 1997 inception and winner of multiple industry awards, Hungry Man represents 30 directors and has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, and Rio.