Children’s TV Show, Now 25, Inspires Limited-Time Menu Items
Famous for its square burger patty, the Wendy’s collaboration with television’s SpongeBob SquarePants seems like a natural. “It makes sense that two of the most iconic squares in pop culture are teaming up to bring a taste of this unique, limited-time experience to life for fans of all ages,” a Wendy’s spokeswoman said in a news release announcing the Krabby Patty Kollab. In a salute to the TV show’s 25th birthday, the new Kollab brings SpongeBob-inspired foods to the Wendy’s menu and to local restaurants from coast to coast and even internationally.
The initiative harnesses the warm fuzzy of nostalgia. As a marketing tool, nostalgia almost exclusively targets younger generations such as millennials and Generation Z, according to the marketing agency Spiralytics Inc., which notes that millennials alone have $2.5 trillion in spending power.
Nostalgia is a common and powerful marketing tactic: McDonald’s, Sonic and KFC often bring back endearing mascots and menu choices for a publicity splash. And Burger King is on the nostalgia bandwagon right now. It’s teaming up with MGM’s The Addams Family animated film franchise for a Wednesday’s Whopper with a purple bun, CNN reported.
SpongeBob Nostalgia Key to Kollab
The Bob-and-Wendy’s Kollab gives top billing to the Krabby Patty, the name of the veggie burger in the show’s setting, Bikini Bottom. But other restaurants have participated with show-themed dumplings, falafel, doughnuts and ice cream tied to the promotion launched by Nickelodeon and Paramount+. The Krabby Patty is a staple at the Krusty Krab restaurant where title character SpongeBob works.
The real-world Krabby Patty has a quarter-pound beef patty, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, pickles, ketchup, mustard and a toasted bun. It differs from a regular Wendy’s cheeseburger by virtue of an additional slice of cheese and the top-secret Krabby Kollab sauce. USA Today asked Wendy’s about the ingredients in the sauce but was stonewalled by the emailed response from a Wendy’s spokesperson. It stated: “Our top-secret Krabby Kollab sauce is a closely guarded recipe that makes the first bite of the Krabby Patty Kollab Burger worth the wait for SpongeBob SquarePants fans and Wendy’s customers alike.”
Origin of the Krabby Patty
The fictional burger began making a name for itself starting with the show’s first episode. “SpongeBob SquarePants began his journey as a fry cook, flipping Krabby Patties in the pilot episode of the series 25 years ago, and the coveted patty has since remained an enduring fixture in Bikini Bottom,” said Sherry Liu, senior vice president of studio franchise strategy and operations for Nickelodeon and Paramount. In announcing the campaign that began Oct. 8, Variety quoted Liu as saying, “SpongeBob SquarePants fans will now be able to enjoy imaginative interpretations of the legendary Krabby Patty through this unique collaboration.”
The Krabby Patty Kollab has debuted more than 100 SpongeBob-themed foods at 250-plus restaurants in locations including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Mexico, San Francisco, Seattle and Toronto. In the United States, Canada and Guam, Wendy’s will offer its Krabby Patty Kollab cheeseburger and Pineapple Under the Sea Frosty (described as a vanilla shake with a swirl of mango- and pineapple-flavored puree on top) through early November. Elsewhere the program wraps up on Oct. 27.
Driving the Wendy’s Promotion
For the Wendy’s franchise, the Kollab fosters SpongeBob nostalgia while attracting American diners who have reined in on their restaurant excursions and curtailed their spending when they do eat out. Wendy’s and other fast-food franchises also have been promoting value meal deals to bring in customers. The Krabby Patty Kollab is a reasonably safe bet for Wendy’s and its franchisees because the special burger mostly uses foods that already exist on Wendy’s menu, making it easy for restaurant workers to put together and with the bonus of limiting food waste.
To develop the Krabby Patty campaign, Nickelodeon and Paramount+ joined forces with Off The Menu and The MRG Group, which have previously teamed up on food-centric events. Nickelodeon and Paramount+ plan further celebrations for SpongeBob SquarePants’ milestone birthday. The show is the brainchild of marine science educator and animator Stephen Hillenburg.
