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Wendy Thomas poses at the Wendy’s restaurant at 3333 W. Tropicana Ave. Thursday, November 4, 2010. Thomas was promoting the new Dave’s Hot ‘N Juicy Cheeseburgers. Wendy is the daughter of Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas.
Friday, Nov. 5, 2010 | 1:19 p.m.
Wendy's Commercial: Las Vegas
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Although Wendy Thomas has been the face of Wendy's since 1969, she's hasn't appeared in a TV ad campaign until now. Starting next week, three commercials will run exclusively in the Las Vegas Valley introducing the fast-food chain's new hamburger, the Dave's Hot 'N Juicy Cheeseburger.
Wendy Thomas remembers sitting anxiously in her red, braided pigtails and blue-checkered dress while her photo was taken to create a logo for her father’s hamburger joint. In her 8-year-old mind, it seemed like hours, Thomas recalls.
"I just remember sitting there forever. My mom stuck pipe cleaners in my pigtails to make them stick straight up and I smiled so much that my face hurt by the end," she said. "It was a painful process."
Thomas’ famous face has been plastered on Wendy’s locations worldwide since 1969, but surprisingly, she’s never appeared in a commercial for the fast-food chain. That will change next week when a set of three commercials featuring Thomas exclusively hits Las Vegas.
The TV ads will introduce the Dave's Hot 'N Juicy Cheeseburger line, which also will be exclusive to the Las Vegas market until it goes national in June 2011.
The commercial features a much older Thomas (sans pigtails), faux flashbacks of Thomas and her father, and a mobile drive-through serving drivers on a highway -- one of her father’s many crazy ideas, Thomas said.
Las Vegas has been singled out as the test market for the new burger and ad campaign, as it often is for new products for the chain, Wendy’s Senior Vice President of Communications Denny Lynch said.
"It’s an all-American city. You have a broad spectrum of people," Lynch said. "You can run a media campaign in this city that is pretty much contained to the Vegas area, so there’s no spillover to other cities."
Because of Las Vegas’ more remote location and distance from other major markets "what’s advertised in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas," Lynch said.
Thomas, who owns 33 Wendy’s franchises with her siblings, agreed that Las Vegas a near-perfect location for product testing.
A new Dave's Hot 'N Juicy Cheeseburger is shown at the Wendy's restaurant at 3333 W. Tropicana Ave. Thursday, November 4, 2010.
"You have a great demographic. You’re young, you’re old. You have everything here," Thomas said.
The company recently tested its new line of salads in Las Vegas and will soon test a version of its fries seasoned with sea salt.
"Everything starts in Vegas," Thomas said.
Thomas and other Wendy’s executives are in town for the 19th annual Wendy’s 3 Tour Challenge golf tournament at the Rio Secco Golf Club in Henderson. Since its start, the tournament has raised more than $35 million for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, which helps to place foster children in permanent homes.
This year’s tournament is expected to raise more than $3 million.
Comment removed by moderator. Off topic.
I always liked Dave Thomas in Wendy's commercials. He was rather folksy - down to earth. Too bad I liked Burger King's charbroiled burgers better. Still do.
Burger King and Wendy's...two different types of burgers, different cravings! I can't stand Burger King's buns though
Wendy's burgers are awesome! Will these new burgers still be square? I sure hope so!
Often the best man for the job is a woman. Hmmm, well good luck to ya, Wendy!
Perfect. We're the fourth fattest city in the nation.
I gained 2 pounds just looking at the new burger.
@steve...I definitely was not thinking what you were thinking. Should they have used Paris Hilton or maybe you?
@murray...At least the people in the background do appear to be fat. So maybe they are at Burger King.
I wonder if the lettuce and tomato will be that fresh if I order one.
Tried a single a couple weeks ago at a joint on Craig. They need to cancel this promotion and go back to the original. Why not just leave well enough alone. The burger was way too thick.
Chunky says:
He thanks Wendy's for coming to Las Vegas for your commercials and other events!
We appreciate the business or at least many of us do!
That's what Chunky thinks!
murrayburns, your using old numbers.
For 2010 we are the 20th fattest city. ;-)
Maybe that Salad test Wendy's did here helped slim us down! ;-)
Either way, glad Wendy and her company are using Vegas for something positive. We are a good test market since we have a little bit of everyone here.
Every little bit helps.
Wendy's has really gotten its act together as of late. Their drive-thru is SO FAST!
I had the pleasure of knowing Dave and met his son Kenny several times. Unfortunately the last time I saw Kenny was when he smashed his Ferrari Testarossa in front of Christopher's Restaurant on the intercoastal in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. That had to be around 1985 or 86
Its sad that this is what people think are burgers. Although I do have to say what she is holding and what I receive are vastly different.
Fast Food is horrible.
Wendy should read "The China Study" by Dr. T. Colin Campbell, a 40 year Cornell veteran in disease and nutrition research. See his foundation at:
http://www.tcolincampbell.org/
The China study was commissioned by Chou En-Lai while he was dying of cancer. It is an international study that included researchers from all over the world that looked into every piece of evidence and then correlated the results.
Cancer, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and beyond are western diseases. They result from opulence in lifestyle and nutrition. Eating meat is a luxury but it doesn't stop there. I get no commission for this blurb either.
Campbell will tell you the results of the research, then you can make up your mind.
Want to just FEEL BETTER TOO? Get the audiobook then you can listen while commuting. Back off the burgers and get your guts rinsed - you'll never regret it!
Thanks for the correction VegasLee, though how does a figure for 2010 become available before the end of the year?
Jerry, I like BK better, too.
But yeah, I also liked Dave Thomas, too. Saw him making a commercial at the mall, when I moved here.
SunJon...flip the coin over...Radiant Health with Brian Peskin will offer another view.
Distribute the "Food, Inc" DVD, though and fast food places will take a fast, hard dive.
In other words, before you eat it...meet it. LOL
At least seven comments removed by staff in only a five hour period in an article about hamburgers?
Wow, that says something about our community. But then again the wise guys could be in Russia somewhere, huh?
Can't people be civil about discussing day-to-day things like hamburgers?
I agree lvfacts101, Danny Thomas was much like Lee
Iacocca in that people trusted him. He had an Americanism about him that made fair and honest business practices appealing. Both men were the best image for their company.
Maybe that's why the article generated so much difficulty for the Las Vegas Sun staff from the 7 nasty commenters.
Wendy does a great job, and I've enjoyed all of the burger joints. Competition is the best deal for a good price.
That's capitalism!
murrayburns,
The study is normally published in April of each year.
My nurse is very strict, and It's "forbotten" to eat the bun (carbs), the meat (hormones & calories), the sauce (sodium and fat), or the cheese. The pickle looks good,though. No one is forcing me to eat one. Health is wealth. Better to be known as a French Fry test site, than a Nuclear one. Bombs away.
From one Wendy to "THE" Wendy - Where's the Beef?! LOL Loved that old ad campaign. You go girl !!! I still love a frosty with fries dipped in...you gotta try it to love it....in moderation, of course.
I always thought that the WHERES THE BEEF Lady was Dave Thomas' wife, or Wendys mother.
I always liked Wendy's dad though - he was real kewl with all the commercials...
He was also a hero in 1998 - as he was the only olympic goalie for team USA to stop any goal for the Nagano Japan Winter Olympic Games...Unfortunately it was a commercial as the 1998 Team United States Olympic Hockey didn't get past the prelims, although they could have really used Dave Thomas as the goalie back then to further advance.
Well, going into the health issues related to american fast food and such, I will point out a couple of relative facts :
Baskin passed away at age 54, Robbins passed away at age 90.
Dave Thomas passed away at age 69.
One Burger King founder passed away at age 70, the other co founder is still living at the age of 81.
The Atkins Diet guy passed away at 72.
McDonalds Corp Founder Ray Kroc passed away at 81...the McDonald brothers that started the biz passed away at ages 69 and 89.
Glen Bell of Taco Bell just passed away in January this year at the age of 86.
Colonel Sanders of KFC passed away at age 90.
Carl Karcher lived the longest (one month longer than Colonel Sanders) and passed away at age 90 also.
Well, there you have it.... fast food founders show they have lived full lives.
Although Jack LaLanne is still going strong at the healthy age of 96 !!!
Wendy's Chili is da bomb.....mmmmmm.
I always order two small size servings which has better value with the quantity vs just ordering one large size portion, even though I am still paying a little more by ordering the two small size portions.
"I always liked Wendy's dad though - he was real kewl with all the commercials...
He was also a hero in 1998 - as he was the only olympic goalie for team USA to stop any goal for the Nagano Japan Winter Olympic Games...Unfortunately it was a commercial as the 1998 Team United States Olympic Hockey didn't get past the prelims, although they could have really used Dave Thomas as the goalie back then to further advance."
Thanks for making me smile, AKsilvereagle!
I loved Dave Thomas in Wendy's commercials. I remember watching them as a kid, all the time in the 1990s. I miss him.
Lay off the saturated fat and bleached flour. Lean meat and whole grain with plenty of fiber, veggies and no corn syrup!!
Walk at least 2 miles a day non-stop.
That's what saltydawg thinks.
Another step in the national agribusiness policy to kill everyone with fat and meat. Our medical costs are high enough as it is. We all pay for Wendy's profits.
No wonder we're the dumbest (well not me)!! It's a CHEESEBURGER, people. No one is forcing it down your throats!!! If you are that concerned, ummmmm, don't buy a CHEESEBURGER, get a glass of water, get a piece of fruit and shut the hell up!!!
Tried one today. It was a great burger. Good luck to Wendy's.
I like Wendys, and think it is a really good choice they come here first to test, they believe in Vegas and we all should to.
As far as the "being fat country" would you rather be in a country where food is scarce? Where there is no choice on how much you can eat?
VegasSays, do what I do, eat that yummy Wendys, and then walk on the wonderful Vegas strip, workout,run or take the pets for a nice walk (don`t want them fat) it`s your choice to stay healthy, or become what you don`t want to be. Don`t blame others and don`t bite the hand that feeds you, be happy for the things we have and that MANY others don`t.