Wendy's is marking its return to the U.K. after an absence of more than two decades with a new creative campaign under the tagline "All beef. No bull."

As the chain opens its first U.K. outlet since 2000 in Reading, England today, the work, by its U.S. agency VMLY&R's London office, spans billboards, digital and social ads, as well as a website and app.

The ads position Wendy's as a challenger to category standards, highlighting its freshly prepared food and quality ingredients in contrast to its rival chains. For example, ads feature a burger alongside the caption "Fresh off the grill, Not waiting behind the till" and a salad with the text "Here's one I prepared earlier. Said no Wendy's crew ever." 

The brand last week also debuted its own U.K. Twitter presence with sassy tweets such as "Britain just got a new favourite rehead #SorryNotSorry Ronald. Wendy's first announced its return to the U.K. in 2019, and at the time observed that its U.S. Twitter feed was already popular in the country, attracting its biggest audience outside of North America. VMLY&R is also handling social, while Spark Foundry is handling media and BCW is responsible for PR.

"We are incredibly excited to be bringing Wendy’s to the U.K. and have built a specific local platform to speak with our new customers in a refreshingly honest, challenging and cheeky way," said Tony Barr, senior international marketing director APMEA & UK at Wendy’s. "The partnership between Wendy’s and VMLY&R, which began in the United States, has produced multiple Cannes Lions and creative awards, as well as having been pivotal to business growth. We are so excited to now work with the VMLY&R London team to bring the brand to life on this side of the Atlantic.”