Nandos Fix Patch and Gum

Nando’s Australia (the spicy chicken chain) is not selling Nandos Fix patches and gum to satisfy those cravings for Peri Peri chicken. But they do have a rapidly growing reputation developing through their television/viral campaign spoofing nicotine fix patches and gums. And judging from the response to their TV ad the chicken restaurant is not likely to win too many new Australian customers.

Nando Fix Patch

The campaign started in 2006 with the Patch push. A morning meeting that drags right through lunch time. Nando Fix. Middle of the night Peri Peri cravings. Nando Fix. Pre-operative fixing, too young to chew, can’t be trusted with cutlery, held by captive by an extremist militia? Nando Fix when you simply can’t get to Nandos satisfy your Peri Peri cravings with a replacement patch. Nandos Fix now not available at Nandos.

Click on the image below to play the video.

Nando Fix Gum

A pole dancer gives us the benefits of the new product…

“If you’re a busy woman like me you don’t have time for cravings. At work I used to tame my Peri Peri cravings with a Nandos Fix patch. It had its drawbacks though. With new Nandos Fix Gum I can tame my cravings without taming my clients. Of course nothing beats enjoying Nandos with my family. But Nandos Fix Gum comes close.”

Click on the image below to play the video.

Credits

The Nandos Fix campaign is being rolled out by CHE, Melbourne, by executive creative director Jason Ross, deputy creative director/copywriter Richard Ralphsmith.

Filming for the Patch ad was shot by director Chris Boyle via Hub Productions, Melbourne, with producer Tim Anderson.

Filming for the Gum ad was shot by directors Damon Escott and Stephen Lance via The Guild with producer Leanne Tonks.

Nando’s Background

Nando’s is a global fast-food restaurant chain with a Portugese theme originating from South Africa. The company specializes in chicken dishes with either lemon and herb, mild, medium, hot or extra hot peri-peri marinades (properly known as Galinha à Africana). The sauces can be bought separately. Side dishes include spicy rice, chips (with either Chicken Salt, or Peri Peri Salt), coleslaw, corn on the cob (mealies), cous cous, portuguse rolls or side garden salads.

This isn’t the first controversial Nando’s advertising campaign involving a pole. A South African TV ad in 2000 showed a guide dog intentionally leading a blind woman into a pole after she had bought takeout from Nando’s. As soon as she was unconscious the dog helped itself to her chicken meal. Complaints to the South African Advertising Standards Authority led to the ad being withdrawn.

See my post on the Nandos Ruffle Some Feathers campaign in Australia.

Complaints

The Australian Advertising Standards Bureau recently dismissed complaints about the second advertisement on the grounds that the images were not inappropriately suggestive. Complaints received covered a diverse range of issues. Complainants felt that the ad was sexist towards both men and woman, pole dancing was not consistent with family values, and it contained material that was inappropriate for children.

“The Board did not find that pole dancing was incompatible with family values. The ad also has an M classification, which means can only be shown during programs recommended for persons over 15,” said Chief Executive Officer, Fiona Jolly.

Read the Advertising Standards Bureau summary of the case in pdf format.

Postscript

The Nandos Fix Gum ad was voted Australia’s worst television commercial of 2007, measured by the 300 complaints received by the Advertising Standards Board.