Popeyes Is Giving 'Emotional Support Chicken' Printed Food Boxes to Philly Airport Customers

Credit: Structural Graphics

When creative agency GSD&M, of Austin, Texas, had a unique campaign idea for its client, Popeyes, it contacted Blanks Printing, & Digital Solutions and Structural Graphics to bring the concept to life. The idea behind the "Emotional Support [Fried] Chicken" was inspired by the influx of travelers during the holiday season and the growing use of emotional support animals by some passengers. The "Emotional Support Chicken" box can be ordered with a three-piece Chicken Tender combo meal for a limited time from the Popeyes located in Terminal C of the Philadelphia Airport, which according to Structural Graphics' release, was voted one of the most stressful airports.

The box was printed by Blanks Printing on an HP Indigo 12000 digital press, while the structure of the box was engineered by Structural Graphics. To read more about the campaign, see the original post by Printing Impressions' sister brand, Promo Marketing.

'Tis the season for seasonings, apparently, thanks to Popeye's. Proving its poultry prowess, the renowned fried chicken chain endeared itself more to devotees on Tuesday, instituting an "Emotional Support" tenders meal that not only provides a comedic take on flyers’ frequent reliance on animals to ease their travel stress, but also shows that the company has no thoughts of chickening out when it comes to brand awareness.

Sorry, Fido. Popeyes #EmotionalSupportChicken doesn’t bark on the plane. (Available in the Philadelphia airport on 12/18.) pic.twitter.com/vWyBWq4PTe

— Popeyes (@Popeyes) December 18, 2018

We sympathize with those who have anxiety when literally taking off for another destination. But, frankly, sometimes we find ourselves eager to leave Philadelphia behind for a bit. For those who do not share that stance and remain worried about air adventures, the city’s eponymous airport is hawking $8.49 chicken-shaped carriers that vow to provide “comfort and nourishment during stressful air travel.”

Thanks to a 12-hour marination period and an abundance of Louisiana spices, the three tenders — along with a biscuit and a side — might even make end-users wish their flights were longer, as the Popeyes products are not bound to last long once passengers have boarded. Said goods will also not have much of a figurative shelf life either, as fortunate venturers to the airport’s Gate C31 will have only an unspecified yet nonetheless limited time to procure the trio.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BriT6avB3tr/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

We here at Promo Marketing are plotting next month’s journey to Las Vegas for the PPAI Expo, so we are immensely hopeful that the aforementioned gate will still have some chicken to go around. We are even more eager to see if Popeyes will simply do away with the limited-time-only nature of this promotion and make this a constant for its presence at Philadelphia International Airport.

Come to think of it, although we are happy that our city has received such fowl treatment from the 46-year-old restaurant chain, we feel that Popeyes should make this a national phenomenon. Yes, Christmastime is a bonkers period over which to travel, but why limit the emotional support concept to one city and one season? If you ask us, chicken and cheerfulness should be for all and for forever.