Applebee's wing-flavored lip glosses and 'dateable' music video encourage saucy nights out

The pandemic may have left some of us squeamish about diving back into the social scene, but Applebee's, which has become famous as a date night destination, wants to help folks ease back into dating and kissing—with wing-flavored lip glosses. "Saucy Gloss," a co-branded product line with Winky Lux, is part of Applebee's latest campaign from Grey North America. It features four special edition glosses inspired by Applebee’s wing sauce flavors: Get Me Hot Buffalo, Sweet Chile Kiss, Honey BBQ-T and Be My Honey Pepper. The flavorful glosses are available starting today, July 29, which happens to be both National Chicken Wing Day and National Lipstick Day. They debut alongside a music video directed by Hannah Lux Davis, known for her work with musicians including Ariana Grande, Halsey, and Kacey Musgraves. The video showcases real singles, all of whom are wearing a flavor of gloss. In the two-minute video, the women dance to “Taste My Face,” Applebee’s summer makeout song, which encourages connection (or kissing) with lyrics such as “These lips are out of lockdown and inbound so pucker up. I hope you like it spicy because I’m hot sauced glossed up." The ladies make their way to single men during a speed dating experience at a highly stylized Applebee's restaurant. All the stars are actual singles whose Instagram handles appear at the end of the film, encouraging viewers to slide into their DM’s and make a possible connection. “The work was based on a really simple insight: after two years of covering up with masks, people miss kissing,” said Grey Executive Creative Director Lance Parrish. “As America’s #1 date night destination, we knew it was Applebee’s responsibility to play wingman—encouraging connection and affection with a limited edition line of Saucy Gloss lip glosses, and launching with the world’s first-ever ‘datable’ music video with an all singles cast.” "Taste My Face" is an original song written for Applebee's by Grey Global who partnered with Townhouse Music. It was produced by Heavy Duty, according to Applebee’s Chief Marketing Officer Joel Yashinsky. Yashinsky wants people to have fun with the saucy gloss and said the lip gloss "seemed like a natural fit to mirror, not only the color and flavor" of the wings, but "the added shine of 'gloss,' which gives it an extra oomph." He added that his favorite gloss would have to be Sweet Chile Kiss. The campaign marks the brand's latest music-themed push following its massive success with country star Walker Hayes around his Applesbee's-themed hit "Fancy Like." Applebee's is just the latest food joint to hop on the makeup bag wagon. Chipotle and E.L.F. Cosmetics have partnered numerous times on makeup collections. The latest launched in 2021 and included a 12-shade eyeshadow palette inspired by ingredients such as rice, beans, salsa and guac. HipDot Cosmetics did the same, creating a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup-themed makeup collection, including lipstick, brushes and eyeshadow palettes. The Applebee's glosses go for $18 each or $65 for a pack of four and can be purchased on the Winky Lux website for a limited time. The campaign’s theme song will also be used on TikTok as part of an influencer campaign.

Applebee's wing-flavored lip glosses and 'dateable' music video encourage saucy nights out

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