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ALEX MCKINLEY  ABOUT ME  LINKEDIN



We gave One Piece diehards a way to connect with their favorite pirate crew.

Background: Popeyes has had people singing about lovin’ that chicken for decades. One Piece is a Japanese manga/anime that’s been ongoing since the late 90’s, and has become one of the most valuable IP on the planet. It follows Monkey D. Luffy on his journey to become the King of the Pirates. The Ask:Create a social-first campaign celebrating Popeyes collaboration with One Piece that feels authentic to the fans.
Insight:
Food takes you places your feet haven’t been.Strategy: 
 Set sail into the world of One Piece with the Luffy Bento Bundle and enjoy a feast as satisfying as finding the legendary One Piece itself.


Hoisting the Sails:
 For context, I am a massive One Piece fan and have watched all 1,162 episodes (and counting).
Social listening to gather iconic memes and inside jokes across the fanbase. 
Competitive analysis to understand what prior One Piece QSR collabs have done. 

Weighing Anchor:
The days of anime being a niche subculture are officially over. Manga and anime have exploded into the mainstream, with the North American markets reaching staggering valuations of $1.1B and $3.6B respectively.

To put that growth into perspective: While 25% of American Gen Z follows the NFL, a whopping 42% watches anime weekly.
At the forefront of this cultural tidal wave is One Piece. As one of anime’s legendary "Big Three," the franchise has sold over 600 million comic copies since 1997, recently surpassing Superman for the most copies sold of all time, despite Clark Kent's 60 year head start. With the anime consistently ranking as one of the most-watched shows globally and Netflix’s live-action adaptation seeing massive success, few IP have as much cultural presence as One Piece.
 As Popeyes looked to age down it’s audience and build an authentic connection with Gen Z, One Piece presented a unique strategic opportunity. 

In the world of One Piece, food acts as a core narrative engine. Massive, chaotic feasts drive the story's most endearing community moments, and food insecurity serves as a recurring emotional plot point. It also didn’t hurt that Luffy’s favorite food is "meat on the bone", a perfect match for Popeyes’ iconic Bone-in Chicken.

Anime fans aren't just consumers; they are fiercely loyal, high-engagement community members. In the US, 17% of Gen Z watch anime daily, and 40% of anime fans spend over $200 annually on merchandise. They don't just watch the media they love, they immerse themselves in it completely.

How could Popeyes authentically enter the Grand Line without feeling like a corporate tourist? By showing up at the moment of the highest cultural vibe: the shared meal.
Food takes you places your feet haven’t been.

We bridged the gap between the screen and the dinner table with the ultimate anime feast fit for the King of the Pirates.
Introducing the Popeyes x One Piece Luffy Bento Bundle.




Assembling the Crew.
 



We kicked off the collab with a teaser that fans swarmed to, receiving 18,355% more likes than average.

Entering the Grand Line.
Post-launch, we followed up with supporting social content to further engage the fans.

Content ranged from details surrounding collectible drops and tantalizing product shots, to posts emphasizing the sense of adventure that going to Popeyes for the Luffy Bento Bundle creates.





Influencer.


It turns out Japanese Copyright Law is extremely strict.

After handpicking a lineup of influencers prominent in the anime space or are known One Piece enthusiasts, we found out that if any influencer had ever shown a clip or image from the anime they could not partner with Toei Animation, which effectively sent us back to square one.

We pivoted and got as close as we could to anime influencers; influencers who like anime. We partnered with Popeyes franchisee and anime fan Megan Thee Stallion, sending her a care package and using her store as one of six locations fans could get their hands on merch themselves.

Earning our Bounty.

The results were off the charts. 

Collectibles flew off shelves with fans lined up around city blocks for a chance to snag one. Demand was so high that resale sites saw Bento Boxes being sold for hundreds.
Fan engagement was incredible. Thousands of UGC surrounding the collab, with people trying/reviewing the menu items, trying to get their hands on a box, or just providing commentary on the hype.




Press.





Want to hear about how we charted our course? 
Let’s talk.

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