'Rick and Morty' and Wendy’s reunite for the show’s 6th season
The collaboration features meal combos, a new animated spot, merch, and the return of specialty Coca-Cola flavors.
Tekef
Wendy’s and “Rick and Morty” are teaming up again with a campaign aimed at the show's dedicated fans.
An animated Wendy’s ad ran on Adult Swim during the premiere of season 6 on Sept. 4, promoting the chain’s latest addition to its menu—French toast sticks.
The 30-second spot sees a Wendy’s character disguised as Rick attempting to get Morty to shoot a commercial dressed up as a Wendy’s breakfast item. Morty sees his mom transformed into a Breakfast Baconator and his dad into a honey butter chicken biscuit, then soon finds himself dressed as French toast sticks. The spot was created by the show’s design team.
“I think that an important part of this relationship was that we want to make sure that everything we're doing is as authentic as possible and it is staying true to the vision, to the perspective, to the tonality of what the show is about,” said Jimmy Bennett, Wendy’s VP of media and social. “That is critical for us to make sure that we are living up to those expectations of these fans and these consumers.”
In preparation for the new season, Wendy’s dropped a new Coca-Cola Freestyle flavor—Froopyland Froopunch—and a returning flavor—Portal Time Lemon Lime—at restaurant locations and on the Wendy’s app.
Wendy’s will also be releasing Uber Eats meal combos with names that tie to the show: Hot Honey NOT Birdperson Combo and Riggity Riggity Wrecked Combo, available through Sept. 11. Fans who order one of the exclusive meals from the “Morty’s” menu between Sept. 7 and Sept. 11 will be automatically entered in a “Morty’s” merch giveaway, including a hoodie, t-shirt, tote bag, sweatpants, bucket hat and glass.
“'Rick and Morty’ is one of those rare, special shows that brings an irreverent sense of fun and surprise wherever it shows up. Our partnership with Wendy’s and Uber Eats continues to delight our fans and their taste buds in any dimension,” said Tricia Melton, chief marketing officer of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics.
Paid digital and social placements will be shared on both Adult Swim and “Rick and Morty” social media handles.
“We know that in order to maintain that positive relationship that we have with these consumers, we have to continue to deliver and not just show up but show up in the most unexpected ways in ways that really add something valuable to the relationship itself,” said Bennett.
Ahead of last season’s premiere, Wendy’s transformed a restaurant location into a “Rick and Morty”-themed drive-thru called “Morty’s,” featuring a special menu that included a Pickle Rick Frosty. This year, for March Madness, Resorts World Las Vegas became “Morty’s Mayhem,” with inflatable character heads and custom animation.
The new season picks up where season five left off, after the destruction of the Citadel of Ricks and Rick, his grandson Morty and Evil Morty’s escape from the Central Finite Curve, a finite collection of alternate realities. The season 6 premiere uncovers more about Rick’s past as they venture into the multiverse.
On Aug. 20, Adult Swim launched its own “Rick and Morty” pre-season 6 campaign, which came in the form of a global treasure hunt of 14 custom art scenes, spanning six continents. The art sculptures—featured in cities such as Chicago, Sydney, and London—showcase beloved characters Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith but also characters such as Birdperson, Mr. Meeseeks, and Mr. Nimbus.
