Church’s Chicken, the global quick service restaurant chain that’s been serving hand-battered fried chicken and scratch-made honey-butter biscuits for 65 years, announced a new strategic partnership with J. Walter Thompson Atlanta, after a four-month search. This new partnership is yet another step in reigniting market share momentum for the iconic brand. Under new marketing leadership, Church’s Chicken is stepping up its game to win in QSR’s hyper-competitive marketplace.

"Throughout the selection process, JWT’s leadership continued to demonstrate great passion for our brand, franchisees and guests,” said Hector Munoz, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer for the Church’s and Texas Chicken brands. “We believe the agency’s enthusiasm for our brand will resonate through the creative in meaningful ways that will engage and delight our guests and drive transactions.”

A first order of business for Church’s new Agency of Record will be repositioning the brand to set it up to compete for the next 65 years, while working alongside executives, franchisees and other key business partners. JWT Atlanta will be doing so in partnership with Georgia Margeson, Senior Director of Advertising, Munoz, and the entire Church’s marketing leadership team.

“We are thrilled and honored to be given the opportunity to support such an iconic brand,” said Spence Kramer, CEO, J. Walter Thompson Atlanta. “Church’s is looking to serve its guests in new and innovative ways, and we can’t wait to work with them to accomplish big things.”

JWT Atlanta will lead messaging strategy across all consumer touchpoints, inclusive of TV and radio. Creative content will be led by Vann Graves, who serves as Chief Creative Officer for the agency. Consumers can expect a first peek at the new campaign in early 2018. The Church’s marketing team encourages an integrated collaboration with all of their marketing partners, and JWT will lead the efforts in this approach.

“In addition to key leadership and structural changes earlier this year, JWT Atlanta is the next piece in the progression of Church’s marketing vision,” said Munoz.

Church’s previous AOR was with Made Movement of Boulder, CO, a multi-year relationship that ended in late 2016. The brand has been recently working with San Francisco-based Erich & Kallman on a project basis and will be using their work through the end of 2017.