Wendyverse

Objective

Wendy's sought to establish itself as a metaverse pioneer with an authentic, branded presence that resonated with young audiences and moved beyond simple logo placements. The campaign leveraged Meta's Horizon Worlds platform to drive engagement with the brand's menu items while creating shareable gaming experiences that would generate buzz and drive Rewards membership.

Solution

VMLY&R created Wendyverse—a suite of four themed virtual worlds within Meta's Horizon Worlds, each featuring custom gameplay tied to Wendy's menu: Buck Biscuit Dome (basketball challenge set in a virtual Superdome), Sunrise City (breakfast-themed obstacle course), Frosty Village (winter Olympics-inspired experience around frozen desserts), and Spicy Nugg Island (tropical gaming oasis). Each world integrated live incentives through Wendy's Rewards, allowing users to unlock real food redemptions while playing. Gameplay was designed to be approachable for both seasoned gamers and first-time Horizon Worlds users.

Results

Within the first week, Wendyverse attracted over 10,000 visitors with 16% return rate, and 15% of visitors were new to Horizon Worlds entirely. The campaign generated 664 million earned media impressions, drove a 5% spike in Wendy's Rewards membership, and contributed to record U.S. quarterly digital sales in Q2 2023. The campaign won the Metaverse category at The Drum Awards for Marketing Americas 2023.