Whataburger launches WhataWings by debating if boneless chicken wings are even wings

Chicken wing debates can be polarizing—like, city council level polarizing. McGarrah Jessee helps Whataburger introduce WhataWings with a tongue-in-cheek campaign about what, exactly, constitutes a chicken wing. More specifically, can a boneless wing be classified as a wing, or is it just a glorified chicken tender bite? This is brought to life in a 30-second spot with a town resident filing an official complaint opposing WhataWings at a city council hearing. The guy is perfectly cast, giving off conspiracy theory vibes as he makes a giant fuss about nothing (the kind of nothing frequently debated in places like Reddit). The spot was directed by Laura Murphy and produced by Gravy Films and The Voorhes. By addressing what the fast-food chain terms “boneless skeptics,” Whataburger said it’s aiming to “diffuse the debate” and shift the narrative to how good the product is—whatever you want to call it. “Our customers and superfans are clever. They deserve an ad campaign that gives a wink and a nod to their kitschy sense of humor,” said Donna Tuttle, Whataburger’s VP of marketing and communications. “It was exciting to unleash the creativity of McGarrah Jessee and the Whataburger team.” “I'm thrilled to unveil our latest commercial—a testament to our fun-loving brand and the passion of our highly engaged fans with strong opinions,” added Brooks Boenig, the company’s director of advertising and media. “We aimed to amplify the freshness of our new WhataWings with an entirely new, comedic approach, making a bold statement.” Whataburger is also making a limited-edition “Boneless Bone” utensil, paired with a wet wipe, to satisfy chicken-wing traditionalists. There’s also a line of apparel. WhataWings launched at all Whataburger locations on Jan. 2 for a limited time. The campaign also includes social videos like the one below.

Whataburger launches WhataWings by debating if boneless chicken wings are even wings

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