In a world where modern love often feels like navigating a minefield, Chicken Licken, South Africa’s beloved chicken brand, offers a simple yet delicious solution: the Love Me Tender® Burger. With the campaign tagline, ‘When love is tough, Love Me Tender®’, Chicken Licken aims to redefine love’s complexities and make it feel easy again.
The campaign kicked off with a captivating film that delves into the intriguing story of Baba Valentino, Chicken Licken’s take on the iconic patron of love, Saint Valentine. Through a humorous narrative, Chicken Licken portrays how the Valentino lineage has evolved to solve the ever-changing challenges of love, culminating in the creation of the Love Me Tender® Burger as a modern-day love remedy.
Narrated with wit and charm, the film traces the Valentinos’ contributions to love throughout history, from teaching Cupid how to shoot arrows to inventing romantic gestures like stuffed bears and mixtapes. However, as love became more complicated in the modern era, Chicken Licken introduces the Love Me Tender® Burger as the ultimate solution to navigating today’s love dilemmas.
Complementing the film, a radio campaign shares relatable ‘ama 2000 relationship stories,’ highlighting the confusing complexities of modern love and positioning the Love Me Tender® Burger as a simple yet satisfying answer.
According to Adam Weber, Executive Creative Director at Joe Public, the agency behind the campaign, the goal was to inject humor into the typical Valentine’s clichés while establishing the Love Me Tender® Burger as a delicious icon of love.
Throughout February, Chicken Licken serves the Love Me Tender® Burger in limited-edition packaging at select stores, offering customers the choice of one of eight free Valentine’s Day cards with a unique twist. Additionally, an on-campus competition gives participants the chance to win an exclusive ‘Love Me Tender® Candle-lit Dinner Experience’ for two, complete with outfits, make-up, and transportation to a Chicken Licken store.
The 2024 Love Me Tender® TV commercial, directed by Katlego Baaitse of Spitfire Films, captures the essence of the Valentino family’s legacy with captivating storytelling and visual flair. Baaitse’s background as an award-winning Art Director turned Film Director lends depth and authenticity to the tale of the Valentinos.
Published in South Africa in February 2024, the ‘When love is tough, Love Me Tender®’ campaign exemplifies Chicken Licken’s commitment to offering not just great food, but also delightful experiences that bring people together in moments of love and laughter. With its blend of humor, romance, and mouthwatering burgers, Chicken Licken invites customers to savor the joy of love, one bite at a time.
