Wendy's 1984 "Parts is Parts" commercial

Wendy’s dropped a savage ad back in 1984 that basically asked, “Do you even know what’s in that chicken patty?” It showed mystery meat from competitors vs. real, whole chicken breast from Wendy’s. Genius.

Why This Ad Hits Hard

• It uses contrast to make Wendy’s look honest.
• Fear of the unknown (mystery meat) sticks in your brain.
• The ad educates and entertains, not just sells.
• It lets the product quality be the hero.

Real-World Versions of This Move

• Apple’s 1990s Mac ads: simple, human vs. cold PC world.
• Chipotle’s “Back to the Start” animation: real farming vs. industrial meat.
• Domino’s 2009 campaign: exposed its bad pizza to prove change.

Simple formula: show the ugly truth, then be the honest alternative.