"Modern love is complicated. That's why Chicken Licken, South Africa's most loved chicken brand, made love feel easy again with one simple solution: the Love Me Tender® Burger. Introducing 'When love is tough, Love Me Tender®," says the restaurant chain. 

The chain adds that the campaign launched with a film all about love.

"The true story of St Valentine is a little sketchy, thus Saint Valentine was transformed into Baba Valentino — who Chicken Licken claimed the most iconic 'patron of love' as their own. This was to showcase how his lineage has solved the problems of love through the ages," says Chicken Licken®. 

As a narrator of the ad explains, Baba Valentino 'The First' taught Cupid how to shoot. From then on, over several generations, the Valentinos invented the stuffed bear, arranged the first bouquet of flowers for nervous suitors and even made the mix tape — putting an end to corny pickup lines. 

But then came the era of 'ama 2000s' when love got complicated. Baba had to take a different approach, using the Love Me Tender® Burger as a solution in the minefield that is modern love, the restaurant chain says. 

"A radio campaign forms part of the story and tells more 'ama 2000' relationship stories, along with all their confusing complexities — and of course, positioning Love Me Tender® as the simple solution to it all," Chicken Licken® says. 

Adam Weber, executive creative director at Joe Public, says, "We loved creating and sharing this story of the Valentinos and their legacy. It's just about poking a little fun at the usual Valentine's clichés and establishing the Love Me Tender® Burger as the next delicious icon of love." 

According to the restaurant chain, an on-campus competition will give customers the chance to win an exclusive 'Love Me Tender® Candle-lit Dinner Experience' for two — along with the bells and whistles including their outfits, make-up and ride to a Chicken Licken® store. 

The 2024 Love Me Tender® TVC was directed by Katlego Baaitse, the award-winning art director turned film director from Spitfire Films.

The restaurant chain concludes that, with a passion for storytelling, Baaitse was the perfect fit to tell the tale of the Valentino family. 


For more information, visit www.chickenlicken.co.za. You can also follow Chicken Licken® on Facebook or on X.