T.G.I. Friday’s Channels Chili’s Jingle for Latest Salvo in Rib Wars
The rib wars are on.
— -- The rib wars are on.
Remember that catchy song from a Chili’s commercial about someone wanting “my baby back, baby back, baby back ribs”?
It figures prominently in a new campaign by the casual dining chain’s rival, T.G.I. Friday’s.
Friday’s is launching a brand new ad that throws a direct punch at the Chili’s commercial, starting out with a few bars of a song about ribs that sounds a lot like the one from the popular Chili’s commercial, then seguing into this pitch: “They wrote a jingle about ribs … Friday’s is writing a symphony.”
Friday’s is also offering a new deal -- three kinds of rib on one plate with sides, all for $10.
It’s an attempt to lure back millions of customers that casual dining chains have been steadily losing.
For its part, Chili’s is trying to freshen its image to attract a new generation, with a commercial that declares: “At Chili’s … fresh is happening now.”
The saucy rib song made Chili’s a cultural icon. The popular boy band, 'N Sync, had its own version, as did the character, Fat Bastard, from the “Austin Powers” film series.