Wingstop Restaurants Inc. Investor Relations

Press release Details

Wingstop Launches New Brand Platform: Where Flavor Gets Its Wings™

Campaign Invites Flavor Lovers to Experience a Whole New World

DALLAS, Feb. 22, 2019 — When it comes to flavor, Americans are trapped in the glare of heat lamps and lukewarm food options – we believe most people would admit they’re settling for food that’s convenient, rather than food that they actually enjoy. But why settle, when you can sizzle? Wingstop (NASDAQ: WING), the wing and flavor experts, have been elevating flavor for years, and now, Wingstop is Where Flavor Gets Its Wings with the launch of its new brand platform and creative campaign. The brand is also kicking off the ‘Flavor World’ tour, heading across the U.S. giving out tens of thousands of freshly-made, free wings, with fun activities including a chance to step into Wingstop’s flavor world by starring in your own virtual ad or a chance to score FREE wings for a year.

Wingstop, the award-winning wing concept with more than 1,250 locations worldwide, is bringing to life its vision of giving people the freedom to explore flavor without boundaries by launching Where Flavor Gets Its Wings. This new brand platform and creative campaign is part of Wingstop’s largest national advertising effort, featuring spots that showcase flavor favorites. As Wingstop moves toward its vision of becoming a top 10 global restaurant brand, this campaign celebrates the core fans who have built the brand over the past 25 years while inviting new audiences into Wingstop’s flavor world.

“We’re embarking on an amazing journey to excite people so they can overcome the flavor indifference that keeps them stuck with bland and predictable fast food choices,” said Maurice Cooper, Wingstop Chief Marketing Officer. “Where Flavor Gets Its Wings is the first campaign we’ve launched that speaks to any eating occasion. Our longtime fans of Wingstop and the masses demanded a better flavor experience and will agree that Wingstop fits every lifestyle moment that food and flavor enhances.”

Wingstop is hitting the road with its food trucks to sample its flavors at iconic places and moments along the ‘Flavor World’ tour. Throughout this tour, 11 wing-eating fans around the country will discover a green ticket for FREE wings for a year inside their wing boats – one fan for each of Wingstop’s 11 iconic flavors. The ‘Flavor World’ tour will also offer a chance for guests to star in their own virtual Wingstop ad. Through a custom VR experience, guests can immerse themselves inside one of Wingstop’s Giant Bags or green screens.

First up, the ‘Flavor World’ tour is heading to LA Live and then will be at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival (Feb. 22 to 24, Miami). Follow @Wingstop on Instagram and Twitter for first reveals of the next ‘Flavor World’ tour stops throughout March and April.

Where Flavor Gets Its Wings is a fully integrated brand effort, developed by Wingstop’s new lead creative agency Leo Burnett. The campaign is also part of Wingstop’s expanding paid media portfolio, amplified through new relationships with Discovery Inc. and Scripps networks, as well as advertising across primetime, Spanish-language and sports programming, including NBA on ESPN, NBA on TNT, Fox, and others. This is just the beginning of an approach that reaches the brand’s core and new audiences.

“Wingstop is all about flavor combinations and going above the conventions to let customers explore flavor,” said Mikal Pittman, Leo Burnett EVP, Executive Creative Director. “That’s what led to Where Flavor Gets Its Wings.”

In addition to Wingstop’s new creative vision and consumer engagement moments, the brand is transforming the ordering experience for guests. Wingstop recently introduced a revamped Wingstop.com, Wingstop app, and personalization tools like the new Wing Calculator™, increasing usability and speed to place a Wingstop order. The brand is also expanding delivery to more markets nationwide. Delivery already successfully launched in Los Angeles and Houston, and the brand plans to roll out delivery to 80 percent of its restaurants by the end of this year.

This year has already kicked off with show-stopping sampling at America’s biggest football game in Atlanta and at New York Fashion Week in collaboration with iconic designer Brandon Maxwell, and there’s so much more to come in 2019.

Learn more about why Wingstop is Where Flavor Gets Its Wings by following Wingstop on social media @Wingstop or visit Wingstop.com to learn more.

About Wingstop
Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ: WING) operates and franchises more than 1,200 restaurants across the United States and nine other countries around the world. The Wing Experts’ menu features classic and boneless wings with 11 bold, distinctive flavors including Original Hot, Cajun, Atomic, Mild, Lemon Pepper, Hawaiian, Garlic Parmesan, Hickory Smoked BBQ, Louisiana Rub, Spicy Korean Q®, and Mango Habanero. Wingstop’s wings are always cooked to order, hand-sauced and tossed and served with our hand-cut, seasoned fries and fresh made Ranch and Bleu Cheese dips. The Company has grown its domestic same store sales for 15 consecutive years, has been ranked #3 on the “Top 100 Fastest Growing Restaurant Chains” by Nation’s Restaurant News (2016), was ranked #7 on the “Top 40 Fast Casual Chains” by Restaurant Business (2016), and was named “Best Franchise Deal in North America” by QSR magazine (2014). For more information visit https://www.wingstop.com or https://www.wingstop.com/own-a-wingstop. Follow us on Facebook.com/Wingstop and Twitter @Wingstop.

About Leo Burnett Chicago
Leo Burnett is a creative solutions company founded on the idea that “what helps people helps business.” By solving human problems with the power of creativity, Leo Burnett delivers value for people and prosperity for brands. Part of the Publicis Power of One, Leo Burnett won 47 Lions at the 2017 Cannes International Festival of Creativity, including the Grand Prix for Creative Effectiveness. To learn more about Leo Burnett and its rich, 83-year history, visit our site, Facebook page and follow us via @leoburnettchi.

Forward-looking Information
Certain statements contained in this news release, as well as other information provided from time to time by Wingstop Inc. or its employees, may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. You can identify forward-looking statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements may include words such as “will,” “further,” “growth,” “continues,” “look forward,” “on our way,” “move towards,” “becoming,” and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of the timing or nature of future operating or financial performance or other events. Examples of forward-looking statements that could appear in this news release include statements regarding anticipated growth resulting from our new strategic marketing partnerships. Any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance or results and involve risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond Wingstop Inc.’s control), and assumptions. Although we believe any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, you should be aware that many factors could affect our actual financial results and cause them to differ materially from those anticipated in any forward-looking statements. Please refer to the risk factors discussed in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 30, 2017, which can be found at the SEC’s website www.sec.gov. The discussion of these risks is specifically incorporated by reference into this news release.

Any forward-looking statement made by Wingstop Inc. in this press release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

A PDF accompanying this announcement is available at http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/3d9915c1-b83d-4b4e-937a-b36b73f4f4f9

A video accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/02c813c8-4ff8-4b84-a56b-5fd97f215461

Media Contacts
Brian Bell
972-707-3956
[email protected]

Luis Galilei
917-344-4652
[email protected]

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