The Sweet Reason Wendy's Iconic Hair Color Changed In Canada
Wendy's is the second largest fast food chain in the United States and its logo of a red-haired girl in braids is known the world over (per Forbes). The brand was founded in 1969 by entrepreneur Dave Thomas, who chose to differentiate himself from his competitors by offering square burgers and the iconic ice cream Frosty. He also chose his daughter as inspiration for not only the name of the restaurant but for the famous Wendy's logo as well (via Insider).
Today, in the age of social media, the outspoken brand likes to openly roast its competitors in what appears to be a humorous marketing ploy. While the aim might be marketing, people very much enjoy Wendy's and its forthrightness. Recently in Canada, the brand changed Wendy's hair from red to gray and this time, it wasn't a roast but in support of a much better cause.
In a recent Twitter post, Wendy's Canada displayed the new hair color of the logo with the phrase, "A star is a star, regardless of hair color." While Wendy's didn't come straight out and say that this change was directly in support of a certain national broadcaster for CTV, they were mentioned in a hashtag below the image.
A candid message of support
News anchor Lisa LaFlamme made headlines recently when it was discovered that she was fired from CTV, most likely based on her decision to let her hair turn its natural gray rather than dye it. While Bell Media said the choice to let LaFlamme go was based on "changing viewer habits," evidence emerged that Michael Melling, head of CTV News, had brought up the topic of the newscaster's hair on more than one occasion and was recorded in a meeting asking who approved of letting "Lisa's hair go grey" (per The Globe and Mail).
Since the incident, Ms. LaFlamme has accepted a new position as media advisor with Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the New Democratic Party in Canada. Head of News, Michael Melling, has announced his intention to take a leave of absence from CTV (via Twitter).
While some Twitter users appeared disgusted at Wendy's Canada using LaFlamme's dismissal as a marketing tactic, others were supportive (via Twitter). One person responded to the post with, "Age, Color of hair should never be part of work at all. If you have grey hair but can do the job, no reason to fire someone unless that company wants to keep in the *perfect image* agenda. Wendy, I love the new grey just like i liked the red."