Arby’s Fuels Apprentice Tie-in With Sweeps

Arby’s is boosting its recent sponsorship of The Apprentice with an online sweepstakes and an interactive Web site tied to its new Chicken Naturals product line.

To hype up the QSR’s biggest product launch in its history, Arby’s signed on for its first task sponsorship on the hit NBC show. During the show, which aired Monday, teams were tasked with developing a 30-second jingle to promote Arby’s Chicken Naturals—100% all-natural chicken items—and to convey the products’ key attributes.

The new line, which includes salads, sandwiches, wraps and chicken tenders, launched in February.

The Atlanta-based chain is extending its TV show appearance with an online sweeps dangling a grand-prize trip to The Apprentice finale in June in Los Angeles. The prize also includes hotel accommodations and $500 spending money. Consumers can enter the Act Natural in Hollywood sweeps by registering online at Arbyschickennaturals.com.

To further engage customers in its brand, consumers can find chicken-dancing consumers throughout the Arbyschickennaturals.com site. On the site, visitors can roll their mouse over images of 11 consumers performing their own versions of the Chicken Dance. A thought bubble (think comic books) appears next to the dancing consumers with images of what each person wants to eat from Arby’s Chicken Naturals line. On the site, consumers can also find Arby’s TV spots and the winning Apprentice jingle.

To build off Arby’s “natural” theme, consumers can vote online for America’s Greatest Natural Athlete of All Time from one of 10 athletes, including Jim Thorpe, Deion Sanders, Bo Jackson, Jim Brown, Jesse Owens, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Lance Armstrong, and Babe Didrikson-Zaharias. Results will be posted on May 2.

Online materials, P-O-P and in-store signage support. The sweepstakes ends May 24. Online materials support. Young America, MN, handles fulfillment; Tribal DDB, Dallas, handles Web site and sweepstakes submissions.

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