Popeyes is cranking up the flavor with its :15 “Getting Saucy” ad, celebrating the launch of the brand’s first-ever Signature Sauce and the all-new Chicken Dippers. The spot captures everything fans love about Popeyes—bold, soulful flavor with a whole lot of attitude—while introducing a creamy, Cajun-inspired sauce that’s here to stay.
Here’s what iSpot’s Creative Assessment platform revealed on actual viewer response to the spot.
The Details:
- American viewers cited the “Da’ Dip” by Freak Nasty music as the most impressionable creative aspect vs other QSR spots over the past year, which enjoyed broad appeal across age/gender:
- An above-norm 72% of all viewers reported being more likely to purchase as a result of this ad to outpace the category benchmark of 67%, with 85% successfully recalling the brand on an unaided basis after a single exposure (+4 pts over norm).
- As a result, strong in-market support is justified, with broad reach.
- An above-norm 72% of all viewers reported being more likely to purchase as a result of this ad to outpace the category benchmark of 67%, with 85% successfully recalling the brand on an unaided basis after a single exposure (+4 pts over norm).
- iSpot media measurement indicates that the :15 “Getting Saucy” has appropriately received the largest proportion of brand Impression delivery on both linear and streaming since launch (7/14/25-8/13/25):
- Below-benchmark Attention Indices point to opportunity to optimize media placements (each of the Popeyes ads saw a bit higher Interruption Rates), while in-market wear on several on-air spots suggest opportunity to favor the new “Getting Saucy” even more (or other new creative that drives above-norm intent).
- Second-by-second trace results show very quick and high engagement achieved across all levels of QSR users once the music began playing (other than non-purchasers):
- Comments on this :15 spot confirm that the music both helped grab attention while also feeling like an excellent fit vs the Dippers product. Although that may have focused some viewers more on the Dippers vs the Signature Sauce, many recognized the message of the new sauce as well.
Sample comments on “Getting Saucy” :15
“I wanna dip if you’re dippin’ music caught me first, then the dancing, and then the chicken. I must find a Popeyes near me. We have another chicken place I won’t mention. But anyways, I loved this ad, got my foot tappin’ and now I want chicken so I can dip!”
Female 50+
“I love that chicken from Popeyes. They have new chicken dippers and new sauce!”
Female 16-20
“I like this ad. Popeyes is showing a new product on their menu and show people dancing and having a good time while eating it which makes me hungry and want to purchase the product.”
Male 21-35
“I will definitely buy it when I get the chance! It was trendy, outgoing, didn’t bore me, and didn’t have me guessing what the product might be. It showed the product in a fun aesthetic, making me happy to watch it.”
Female 16-20
“I love the way the food looks, but I really hate the dancing. It’s not Fortnite. Even then, it’s not something I like. But I love the way the food looked and am eager to try it next time I go to Popeyes.”
Male 21-35
“I really like that. They put that song because it makes sense. And I love the elements that they put into the video because it showed the product and it looks delicious.”
Female 16-20
“I think it was relatable due to the upbeat music and younger generation in the ad. Also, the song is catchy so it definitely leaves a lasting impression.”
Male 36-49
“I like the ad. The song used was a good song. It made me want to put my hand up on my hip and go buy some chicken nuggets or whatever it was – chicken tenders. It was a good commercial. I liked it.”
Female 36-49
“I thought that it was a different take than past commercials that I’ve seen from this company. I like how it is geared towards newer generations.”
Female 16-20
“The chicken bites look very tempting right now with that sauce. They are selling me on the sauce and chicken with the visuals in this ad.”
Female 36-49
- A plot of Popeyes ads tested over the past year places “Getting Saucy” in the higher range on overall response to the creative:
- The ad also tied for seventh among these ads in driving intent, which tracked +5 pts over norm.
- Of the best-received QSR ads featuring chicken strip products over the past 90 days, “Getting Saucy” ranks sixth both in overall response and in persuasiveness:
- With rich historical data, iSpot modeled the past three years of Popeyes ads to break down the key creative KPIs behind those driving stronger consideration within the gen pop audience:
- The Optimal Profile below (on the right side of the chart in blue) reveals that Likeability, Attention, and Relevance have been the key creative aspects that have set more persuasive Popeyes ads apart.
- Information and Change were contributive but to a lesser extent. (This is not to say that Popeye’s ads are not necessarily informative, but rather, Information was not a strongly distinguishing characteristic of higher intent creatives.)
- Although “Getting Saucy” did not quite achieve Optimal levels on breakthrough (particularly in Attention), the ad easily outpaced on the other creative KPI’s leading to an expected purchase intent impact that places higher vs historical Popeyes ads (presented by its placement in the upper right hand quadrant, on the left side of the chart).
- Attention could potentially be enhanced by opening the ad with the very effective and attention-grabbing music, for example.
- The Optimal Profile below (on the right side of the chart in blue) reveals that Likeability, Attention, and Relevance have been the key creative aspects that have set more persuasive Popeyes ads apart.
With its high-energy “Getting Saucy” ad, Popeyes proved that flavor and fun go hand in hand. The launch of Signature Sauce and Chicken Dippers isn’t just a menu win—it’s an opportunity to land within a cultural moment that has fans dipping, grooving, and coming back for more.
Schedule a demo to find out how your brand can partner with iSpot to quickly solve both challenges simultaneously, delivering high-performing creative while boosting the effectiveness of planning and in-market execution to achieve—and outperform—campaign objectives.
Creative Agency: McKinney