In just 70 years, Whataburger has gone from a small hamburger stand in Corpus Christi, TX to a cult icon with over 1000 restaurants in 14 states – and counting (for you coastal folks, think of it as the In n’ Out of the South.) There’s a reason why people get Whataburger tattoos, get married in the Whataburger dining rooms, make Whataburger themed art, and more. For seven years, Michael Anderson and I led omnichannel work for the brand, overseeing everything from tray liners to out-of-home, banners to broadcast, experiential to you name it. Our efforts – in concert with smart brand managers, planners, designers and more – garnered a 33% sales increase in three years.

WHATAWEDDING ACTIVATION // Noting that many fans often made Whataburger a big part of one of the biggest moments of their lives, we set out to make something even bigger: a wedding at Whataburger on Valentine’s Day. In the first week of open calls, we had nearly 3,000 wedding submissions. After the vows were all said n’ done, ceremonies had been held in multiple cities and 67,000 guests had attended the weddings via YouTube livestream.

michael anderson (cd/partner) | patrick girts (cw) + nathan tamburello (ad)

THE WHATABURGER MUSUEM OF ART // There are millions of Whataburger adherents throughout the country, and many have expressed their love for the brand through art. We wanted to honor that passion (and inspire new fans) by housing all the work in a virtual gallery. Launched during the pandemic, the WMOA is the first Whataburger fan art museum made by the fans for the fans. The WMOA Instagram account curates artwork, showcases artist interviews, and calls for more submissions. The museum has been featured in the Texas Monthly, Dallas Observer and Houston Chronicle, to name a few.

 michael anderson (cd/partner) | steph cain (cd/partner) | sarah weigl (cw) + kristi flango (ad)

RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION ONGOING SOCIAL CAMPAIGN // Whataburger’s HR came to us with a challenge: in an industry known for lots of turnover, how can we attract, keep, and celebrate good talent? Well, by spotlighting the existing people that set Whataburger apart from other QSRs – and showcasing how a flexible job at Whataburger can help you pursue hobbies. The introduction of this campaign saw our overall click-through rate improve 31% and is already proving to be a magnet for new hires. More to come.

ROOKIE & REGULAR CONTENT SERIES // Never heard of Whataburger? Well, with over 1000 restaurants in 14 states, you may be in a dwindling minority. Still, we saw an opportunity to win new fans of the brand and bolster Whataburger’s digital presence at the same time. We created a series where hardcore devotees take their less enlightened friends and family members out for a bite at the Orange & White. The online series garnered millions of views in just a few short months and brought tons of followers to Whataburger’s social and Youtube pages.

DIRECTOR | jeff bednarz (rabbitfoot)
EDITOR | alex heisterkamp (lucky21)

SEE ALL EPISODES HERE

michael anderson (cd/partner) | nick robertson (cw) + kirby carlberg (ad)

GOOD THING CAMPAIGN // It’s the little things at Whataburger that make all the difference. This campaign, cooked up by colin lapin and jeff ross, celebrates all those details – and makes the food look really, really good. Some highlights:

DIRECTOR | jeff bednarz (rabbitfoot)
EDITOR | ted griffis (tbd)

michael anderson (cd/partner) | colin lapin, brian marcolini (cw) + jeff ross, sarah wallace (ad)

KIDS BAGS REDESIGN // Whataburger wanted to redo their line of kid's bags, using only their long-existing mascot, Whataguy. The amazing Lauri Johnston and I imagined him as a world traveler, mixing in some fact with a lot of fun fiction. My favorite bits: "there are no losers in a grilled cheese tug-of-war" and "penguins prefer to wear casual sweatpants." Truth.