Chili’s grills kids about life in darkly funny Chicken Crispers ads from Mischief
Just because they’re usually on the children’s menu doesn’t mean children really deserve them
Editor's Pick
Why should children get all the comfort food when adults are the ones who really need comforting?
That’s the amusing premise behind Mischief’s new campaign for Chili’s, focused on its Chicken Crispers menu item. Chicken Crispers are basically chicken tenders, a dish usually relegated to the kids’ menu. But Chili’s Chicken Crispers are a larger-size, adult-targeted version, and the new spots play off the question of who deserves them more—children or adults.
The spots feature a deadpan Chili’s interviewer asking kids questions about their lives—passively aggressively insinuating that their carefree existence doesn’t earn them food like Chicken Crispers.
This first spot, for example, touches on adult stresses like finances, insomnia and lack of vacation time.
“We found ourselves kind of annoyed that kids get all of the good things when they don’t have to deal with any of the bad things,” said Dana Buckhorn and Tanner Thompson, associate creative directors at Mischief. “Kids don’t have pushy mothers-in-law. They’ve never spent an hour reading reviews of compression socks. They don’t unfailingly receive artisan bars of soap for their birthday. And yet they get to order the Chicken Crispers while we’re expected to order a pile of wet leaves.”
This second spot also leans heavily into financial worries, as well as the burdens of business travel.
“With our Chicken Crisper Combos, we took all the favorite bites a parent sneaks from their kids’ meal and turned them into an adult-sized meal,” said Jesse Johnson, VP of marketing at Chili’s. “We’re telling adults they don’t just deserve Chicken Crispers…but they deserve them even more than kids do.”
Along with the amusing narrative, the spots also don’t skimp on the product shots—with good-looking close-ups in every execution.
Here are two :15s to round out the flight:
Mischief has done a number of projects for Chili’s this year, including spots with R&B star Brian McKnight as a singing waiter and a stunt (inspired by real events) that offered free catering to the first three couples to propose at at a Chili’s restaurant.
Chili’s Chicken Crispers are available in Original, Nashville Hot and Honey Chipotle and served with white cheddar mac, fries, two dipping sauces and house-made ranch when ordered as a combo.
Credits
- Date
- Sep 21, 2023
- Client :
- Chili's
- Agency :
- Mischief @ No Fixed Address
- CMO :
- George Felix
- VP Marketing :
- Jesse Johnson
- Director of Digital Advertising :
- Luz Bickert
- Director of Marketing :
- Laura Sheely
- Associate Social Media Manager :
- Jack Hailey
- Sr. PR Manager & Content Strategist :
- Melissa Corum
- PR Manager :
- Jake Young
- CCO :
- Greg Hahn
- Co-Founder & Partner :
- Greg Hahn
- President & Partner :
- Kerry McKibbin
- Head of Strategy & Partner :
- Jeff McCrory
- ECD & Partner :
- Bianca Guimaraes
- ECD & Partner :
- Kevin Mulroy
- Associate Creative Director :
- Dana Buckthorn
- Associate Creative Director :
- Tanner Thompson
- EVP Head of Production :
- Will Dempster
- Executive Producer :
- Amy Wertheimer
- Managing Director :
- Tyler Harris
- Account Director :
- Diana Baran
- Account Executive :
- Ariana Revelas
- PR :
- Edelman
- Senior Vice President :
- Jessica Barrutia
- EVP Earned Lead :
- Erin Delahanty
- Vice President :
- Janice Cornell
- Media Agency :
- Dentsu X
- EVP Managing Director :
- Lauren Johnson
- VP Integrated Planning :
- Derrick Chen
- Associate Director Integrated Planning :
- Sarah O'Brien
- Senior Manager Integrated Planning :
- Marianne Aurelio
- Associate Integrated Planning :
- Yessica Manrique
- Associate Director Digital :
- Cristen Edler
- Associate Director Paid Social :
- Dylan O'Bannion
- VP National Video Investment :
- Deb Sher
- Associate Director Paid Search :
- Brian Gorman
- Production Company :
- Hungry Man
- Director :
- Hank Perlman
- Executive Producer/Managing Partner :
- Caleb Dewart
- Head of Production :
- Franchesca McDowell
- Producer :
- Matt O'Shea
- Production Supervisor :
- Tristan Marciano
- Production Company :
- Trevor TV
- Director :
- Trevor Shepard
- Executive Producer :
- Ursula Camack
- Food Stylist :
- Maelle de Schutter
- Food Stylist :
- Lauren Anderson
- Editorial :
- Mack Cut
- EP :
- Gina Pagano
- Editor :
- Dave Koza
- Editor :
- Danielle Minch
- Assistant Editor :
- Cassi Waciega
- Producer :
- Kayla Robinson
- Flame Artist :
- Jim Hayhow
- Color :
- Company 3
- Colorist :
- Tim Masick
- Audio Mix & Sound Design :
- Heard City
- Audio Engineer :
- Phil Loeb
- Audio Engineer/Sound Designer :
- Evan Mangiamele
- Managing Partner :
- Gloria Pitagorsky
- Music :
- Walker
- Senior Producer :
- Dottie Scharr
- Producer :
- Samantha Zirin
- Music :
- Singing Serpent
- Executive Producer :
- Dennis Culp
- VO Casting :
- Janet Eisenberg
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