History Advertising / WheresTheBeef

Though the ad campaign lasted only a year, its appeal lives on; in 2011 Wendy's briefly resurrected the phrase. The original ads can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riH5EsGcmTw here]], and the revival ad can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU2EVsGJUIc here]].

* BlandNameProduct: The competing restaurants are given generic names like "Home of the Big Bun" or "House of Buns" to avoid referencing Wendy's ''actual'' competition.

* NeverMessWithGranny: Clara will stop at nothing to find where that darn beef is.

* TakeThat: Both the ads and the record take shots at [=McDonalds=] and Burger King.

* BlandNameProduct: The competing restaurants are given generic names like "Home of the Big Bun" pr "House of Buns" to avoid referencing Wendy's ''actual'' competition.

* DrivesLikeCrazy: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idnwh6iDnXA This ad]] has Clara driving like crazy and sending everyone else in the car flying.

One of the most quotable advertising campaigns of the 1980s, "Where's the Beef?" was a 1984 Wendy's advertising campaign that starred octogenarian Clara Peller and two other old ladies (Mildred Lane and Elizabeth Shaw). Initially impressed at the size of the competition's hamburger buns, the trio is dismayed to find the burger patty underneath overly minuscule in comparison, which prompts Clara to ask, "Where's the beef?" The shtick of the ads was that Wendy's modesty-named single patty had more beef than [=McDonald=]’s Big Mac or Burger King’s Whopper, more than enough to fill the bun.

One of the most quotable advertising campaigns of the 1980s, "Where's the Beef?" was a 1984 Wendy's advertising campaign that starred octogenarian Clara Peller and two other old ladies (Mildred Lane and Elizabeth Shaw). Initially impressed at the size of the competition's hamburger buns, the trio is dismayed to find the burger patty underneath overly minuscule in comparison, which prompts Clara to ask, "Where's the beef?" The shtick of the ads was that Wendy's had more than enough beef to fill the bun.

* DrivesLikeCrazy: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idnwh6iDnXA This ad]] has Clara driving like crazy and sending everyone in the car flying.

One of the most quotable advertising campaigns of the 1980s, "Where's the Beef?" was a Wendy's ad that starred octogenarian Clara Peller and two other old ladies (Mildred Lane and Elizabeth Shaw). Initially impressed at the size of the competition's hamburger buns, Clara is dismayed to find the bun is huge compared to the amount of meat, saying "Where's the beef?" The shtick of the ads was that Wendy's had more than enough beef to fill the bun.

The ad quickly reached memetic status, and was referenced in the 1984 Democratic primaries by both sides. Several sequels were made as Clara's character raced around town to other restaurants demanding to know where her beef was. Aside from the ads themselves, plenty of merchandise was made, including stickers, mugs, coasters, a board game, and even a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egGS8jONZ6Y single]], released on vinyl record.

The ad campaign ended in 1985, but its quotability lives on, and in 2011 Wendy's briefly resurrected the phrase. The original ads can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riH5EsGcmTw here]], and the revival ad can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU2EVsGJUIc here]].

* TakeThat: The ads and the record take shots at [=McDonalds=] and Burger King burgers.

* MacGuffin: Finding The Beef is the main object of the tie-in board game.

One of the most quotable advertising campaigns of the 1980s, "Where's the Beef?" was a Wendy's ad that starred octogenarian Clara Peller and two other old ladies. Initially impressed at the size of the competition's hamburger buns, Clara is dismayed to find the bun is huge compared to the amount of meat, saying "Where's the beef?" The shtick of the ads was that Wendy's had more than enough beef to fill the bun.

The ad campaign ended in 1985, but its quotability lives on, and in 2011 Wendy's briefly resurrected the phrase. The original ads can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riH5EsGcmTw here]].

* MundaneMadeAwesome: A little old lady yelling "Where's the beef!?" became a national phenomenon, and Wendy's sales increased 21% as a result of the campaign.

One of the most quotable advertising campaigns of the 1980s, "Where's the Beef?" was a Wendy's ad that starred octogenarian Clara Peller and two of her friends. Initially impressed at the size of the competition's hamburger buns, Clara is dismayed to find the bun is huge compared to the amount of meat, saying "Where's the beef?" The shtick of the ads was that Wendy's had more than enough beef to fill the bun.

The ad campaign ended in 1985, but its quotability lives on, and in 2011 Wendy's briefly resurrected the phrase.

-->''Where's the beef?''

* NeverMessWithGranny: Clara. She will stop at nothing to find where that darn beef is.

* MisleadingPackageSize: The first ad has the old ladies marvel at how big the "white, fluffy bun" is, and are dismayed to open it and find a burger patty no bigger than a silver dollar.

* DrivesLikeCrazy: [[This ad]]