Popeyes® – Bringing a taste of Louisiana to Budapest: How we made Popeyes® the talk of the town

 

When world-famous Popeyes® brought its legendary New Orleans-style chicken to Hungary, Fusion Zrt. challenged us to make the launch a national media event. Our goal was to generate maximum awareness and excitement through PR alone, with zero paid media. We weren’t just launching a restaurant; we were introducing a culinary icon. Our mission was to turn a grand opening into a national media event that dominated every major newsroom, from business journals to lifestyle blogs.

The Challenge

Hungary’s fast-food market is highly competitive. We needed to create a consumer “chicken craze” while also communicating Fusion Zrt.’s ambitious expansion strategy to the business community. The challenge was to sustain media buzz for six weeks leading up to the opening.

Our Solution

We treated the launch like a blockbuster movie premiere, building the narrative in layers until we achieved total media saturation.

1. Priming the Media
Rather than relying on a generic press release, we tailored the story to different audiences across business, lifestyle, gastro and tabloid media. For Forbes.hu, we arranged an exclusive behind-the-scenes tasting and CEO interview, building awareness around the brand and investment ahead of the opening.

2. A Launch Designed for Headlines
We turned the opening day into an unmissable media spectacle. On the Westend rooftop, a New Orleans-style jazz band set the scene as a helicopter delivered a giant replica of Popeyes’ iconic chicken sandwich. The stunt attracted leading Hungarian media, including Telex, Index, HVG, VG.hu, Privátbankár, Street Kitchen and Nosalty.

We coordinated a marathon of on-site interviews, ensuring that every journalist, regardless of their beat, had a unique angle to report on.

Results

With zero paid media, the campaign achieved:

  • 16 million HUF in earned media value
  • 67 media articles and 39 organic social posts
  • 27 journalists from 16 leading Hungarian media outlets at the opening
  • Marketing Diamond Award 2026

By opening day, Popeyes was more than a new restaurant brand in Hungary: it had become a national media phenomenon. We proved that with a sharp strategy and a touch of spectacle, you can command the attention of an entire nation’s media landscape.