Today the Brave‘s ‘Redhead Redemption’ for Wendy’s took home the Best Integrated Ad Campaign at the B&T Awards. It marked the launch of the fast food company in a country already saturated with well-known and beloved brands.
Today the Brave won not one, but two B&T Awards, the second for its standout work for True North, which picked up the Best Content Marketing Strategy Award.
Today the Brave created a brand moment the country couldn’t ignore. With almost no brand presence in the market, the agency knew Wendy’s needed a culturally charged entry point that would get Australians talking.
The breakthrough came from leaning into a uniquely local truth: redheads have long been the subject of teasing and throwaway labels, yet Wendy’s, which was founded by a proud redhead, reframed those same nicknames as a badge of honour.
That insight became ‘Redhead Redemption’, a fully integrated campaign that transformed “ranga” and “carrot top” from insults into something to be proud of.
Redheads were invited to claim a free burger meal as an act of celebration, and non-redheads could still participate if they were willing to temporarily “join the tribe” and go red.
It brought to life a mix of paid media, influencer amplification, in-store and earned storytelling that turned the idea into a playful moment.
The campaign generated 434.6 million earned impressions, 452 media stories, a 7.6 per cent uplift in foot traffic and sales 45 per cent above forecast, proving that redheads can drive traction.
“Keep on keeping on guys, there’s brands out there for you,” Today the Brave’s head of media Jacqui Capel said.
Hear from TTB’s creative partner, Vince Osmond and Capel below.
