Winner

In marketing, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good—and Christopher Knight Home Burchett outdoor chairs are our most fortunate brand of the week. The chairs, which bear the name of the actor who played Peter Brady on “The Brady Bunch” quickly sold out on Amazon, Target and Overstock.com due to the attention they got as the patio furniture used in Oprah Winfrey's blockbuster interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. More details here.

Loser

Burger King, which has so often basked in the marketing limelight, is getting a taste of the low life, after being ridiculed for its gimmicky “Women belong in the kitchen” tweet that was meant to bring attention to a do-good cause of supporting female chefs. But that is not how it was received. The episode holds plenty of social media marketing lessons. For more on that, check this out.

Round one

The gloves are officially off in the hard seltzer marketing fight. Mike’s Hard Lemonade Seltzer is out with a new campaign starring Mike Tyson. The ads, from the brand’s new agency WorkInProgress, play off the fact the aging boxer and new hard seltzer share a name. Brand owner Mark Anthony Brands is putting some heavyweight money behind the campaign, investing more than $35 million in media, including buys in March Madness, the Grammys and National Basketball Association games. It comes amid intensifying hard seltzer competition with nearly every alcohol company rushing seltzers to the market. Mark Anthony is no underdog: it also owns White Claw, which is widely credited with starting the hard seltzer craze.

The category is so hot that even fast food chains are jumping on it. Sonic Drive-In, known for its slushies, teamed up with Oklahoma City-based Coop Ale Works on a line launching May 1 with flavors based on its drinks, such as Cherry Limeade and Ocean Water. The hard seltzer won’t be found at Sonic locations; it will be available where alcohol is normally sold.

Quote of the week

“We’re actually causing enough havoc and generating enough energy with the gamers that we’re essentially one of the biggest streamers on Twitch.”—Wendy’s Chief Marketing Officer Carl Loredo on the fast feeder’s gaming marketing. Listen to the full interview from our weekly “Marketer’s Brief” podcast.

Tweet of the week

Number of the week

More than 100: How many brands CBS Sports and Turner Sports say they have signed up to advertise in March Madness this year. More here on how marketers are approaching the tourney.

Lowe’s looks pretty good for 100

As it hits its 100th birthday, Lowe’s is running a new initiative to repair and rebuild 100 communities in the U.S. The effort “100 Hometowns” was recently announced as part of the home improvement brand’s centennial celebration. Consumers are asked to nominate their towns for consideration, and those that qualify will receive a grant in June. Lowe’s tapped country musician Kane Brown to help promote the initiative in his hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee. The retailer released a 60-second spot explaining its “Home to any possibility” purpose.

B Dubs’ specialty bets

Burgers, wings beer and betting—what could go wrong? Just in time for March Madness, Buffalo Wild Wings is giving sports fans in certain states an incentive to place bets within its restaurants. Fans who use the BetMGM app while inside its locations in Colorado, New Jersey, Indiana, Iowa, Tennessee and West Virginia will be offered custom promotions and bet types. B Dubs, which partnered with BetMGM in 2019, also now has a network airing in its sports bars with betting content such as advice and live game odds.

Hear more about the partnership when Rita Patel, chief marketing officer, Buffalo Wild Wings, speaks at Ad Age Next: Food & Beverage on March 23. Tickets are available here.  

Speaking of basketball

Mondelēz International is now an official partner of the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and USA Basketball. The maker of Oreo, Chips Ahoy, Sour Patch Kids and other snacks has plans that, um, tip off with NBA Dynasty Oreo packs featuring the logos of six NBA teams on the cookies’ chocolate wafers: Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs.

Chipotle’s newest item is digital only

Chipotle added a quesadilla to its digital menu (it’s already part of the kids lineup) on March 11, the first new entree since the addition of salad 17 years ago. It’s a move that required adding custom ovens for speed. The quesadilla comes with three salsas or sides—guac costs extra, of course. Taco Bell, meanwhile, is bringing back its Quesalupa, which stuffs the crispy chalupa shell with cheese, and includes other fillings, for the first time since 2016.

Ice cream fit for a TV binge session

Serendipity Brands is releasing four TV- and movie-inspired ice creams, starting with Central Perk Almond Fudge honoring “Friends,” in a partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products. The “Friends” flavor is set to be a permanent addition to the lineup. Limited-time releases will include Sloth and Chunk Rocky Rooooaad? inspired by “The Goonies,” plus pints paying tribute to “Caddyshack” and “A Christmas Story.”

Spring break at home

Cheez-It Grooves has an answer to those craving a vacation who can’t take one due to the pandemic. It is offering one of three “Spring Break-In-A-Box” experiences to be delivered to a winner’s home, with a year’s supply of the snack. To enter, people are being asked to tweet about which version they’d like to win. The scorchin’ island option, for example, includes a surf simulator, gaming station and  “volcano” hot tub, supposedly inspired by Cheez-It Grooves Scorchin’ Cheddar flavor.

On the move

Neighborly, a franchisor of home service brands, tapped Roger Chacko as chief strategy and marketing officer. He most recently was chief commercial officer at Planet Fitness.

Contributing: Adrianne Pasquarelli