Wendy’s CMO believes there is a better way to do things. He believes their customers are smart and savvy, and they expect more from us than just burgers and fries. They want to see engagement in a way that makes them feel like part of the family—and that means being funny, honest and authentic on social media platforms as well as in-restaurant.
As a “champion of Wendy’s brand and mission, driving forward Wendy’s brand voice and the authentic connections we make with our customers”, Carl has been with Wendy’s since 2016, according to their CEO.
Prior to that he served in positions with The MarketingArm and Craftmade international. When he joined Wendy’s he brought nearly 25 years of experience in agency, brand management and marketing strategy to the company. Carl has been at Wendy’s for over six years, holding the role of CMO since 2019.
Carl Loredo is a marketing veteran with experience in both consumer goods and tech. Known for his ability to adapt, Carl has worked in industries ranging from tech to home decor and even an ad agency. Originally from Texas, he now makes the Buckeye State his home with his twin children.
Carl was instrumental in the Keeping Fortnite Fresh campaign that launched in 2020, which saw over 60 million players participating in live events hosted by Twitch streamers across North America and Europe. In 2020, Wendy’s campaign for its Never-Frozen beef became the grand prix winner in the digital category at Cannes. The effort also won an award for best innovation at SABRE’s North American awards ceremony
Before Loredo started, the chain had seen a dip in sales over the past few years and needed to implement a change in order to continue thriving. Wendy’s made a strategic shift under Loredo and now generates more than $1 billion in breakfast sales—a feat that recently vaulted the company past Burger King as No. 2 burger chain in America. “We’ve built a billion-dollar business for breakfast. But all that started with listening to the consumer and understanding the disappointments in the product,” Loredo told MarketingDive. “Unlike the category that’s out there with frozen microwave eggs or bacon, we’re putting fresh-cracked eggs on every sandwich and we oven-make our bacon.”
What does he think is the most important part of his job? “The importance of continuing to listen to our customers and the topics that are most important to them. We continue to see that we always win when we show up for our fans, and we remain committed to doing so. Whether it’s through treating every interaction with our fans like we would a friend, in-restaurant, at the drive-thru or on social media, or continuing to deliver new menu items we know our fans will love, like the new Pretzel Bacon Pub Cheeseburger, we will continue to do everything The Wendy’s Way.”
He believes that knowing the platforms you advertise on is important. “When we ventured into the gaming space, specifically Fortnite, we knew we had to do it in a way that was unique to who we are and what we stand for. Wendy’s started with a major advantage: our team knew how to game,” says Loredo.” Not only were we fluent in Fortnite, we knew how gaming platforms like Twitch worked — and didn’t work — when branded content got involved. Wendy’s had already established an irreverent social media voice, and that appealed to gamer instincts.”
They are Trying Out the Metaverse
Wendy’s is stepping up its virtual efforts, under the Leadership of Loredo, with the first two of what will become many more metaverse spaces.
The brand debuted Wendyverse Town Square Central and Wendyverse Partnership Plaza in early April, and the results have been positive.
“After driving thousands of Meta Horizon Worlds’ users online to shoot some virtual biscuit hoops and generating more than 650 million media impressions, it’s safe to say we successfully broke through with ‘Wendyverse,'” announced Loredo.
Loredo also noted that the brand has plans for more metaverse worlds in the future.
You can connect with Carl on LinkedIn
