American Idol Scotty McCreery Featured In New Bojangles' Campaign

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Say the word "Southern" and two things probably come to mind:  Southern food and country music.  Now two icons representing those great Southern traditions are joining forces as Bojangles' announces a new partnership with country music star and American Idol® winner Scotty McCreery.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/58986-bojangles-and-american-idol-winner-scotty-mccreery-free-song-download

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121108/MM07727)

Famous for serving quality Southern classics and breakfast all day, Bojangles' today unveils a new ad campaign featuring the popular star from Garner, N.C.  The new TV and radio spots will highlight the craveable menu items that set Bojangles' apart while also showcasing the deep Southern roots that have made both McCreery and Bojangles' such fan favorites.

As part of the exclusive partnership with Bojangles', a free song download from McCreery's new album – Christmas with Scotty McCreery, which hit stores Oct. 16 and debuted at number four on the Billboard albums chart – will be available beginning Monday, Nov. 26.  Cards with a unique code will be available in all Bojangles' restaurants, allowing guests to visit a download site and choose one of three classic holiday songs – "First Noel," "Jingle Bells" or "O Holy Night."

"I'm proud to partner with a great Southern brand like Bojangles' that's been such a big part of my life growing up in the Carolinas," said McCreery, who took the entertainment world by storm in 2011 by winning the 10^th season of the popular TV show at the age of 17.  "It's always 'Bo Time' to me whether I'm on the road or at home, and I'm excited to bring that same spirit to other fans who crave the unmistakable taste and quality of Bojangles' as much as I do."

The campaign features two 30-second TV spots.  The first, "Show Time," shows McCreery backstage before a concert with his band enjoying Bojangles' chicken, biscuits and fixin's from a Big Bo Box, perfect for tailgating, office parties or family get-togethers.  When the stage manager comes to tell the band it's show time, Scotty promptly corrects him with three simple words:  "It's Bo Time!"

The second spot, "Bojangles' Town," is a remix of McCreery's hit song "Water Tower Town" and includes a montage of traditional Southern scenes – a high school football game, an old fire truck, and enjoying a meal at Bojangles'.

In addition to the television ads, McCreery lent his voice to a series of radio commercials and a variety of in-store merchandising elements, including posters and counter cards.  The TV and radio spots will appear in select Bojangles' markets throughout the company's 10-state footprint, which extends from the mid-Atlantic across the South to Mississippi.

"Bojangles' and Scotty share a unique Southern style, and we're excited to come together in such a big way with this campaign and exclusive offer for our fans," said Bojangles' Senior Vice President of Marketing Randy Poindexter.  "I'm especially proud to partner with a young man who embodies the same values of community and family that are the heart of the Bojangles' culture."

McCreery's love of Bojangles' was well documented throughout the filming of Idol:  he was seen in a well-worn "It's Bo Time!" t-shirt during taping, and his family surprised him with his favorite Bojangles' meal during his homecoming episode before returning to Los Angeles for the finals.

Since becoming the show's first country male winner and its youngest male winner in any genre, McCreery quickly emerged as the most successful new country artist of the last year.  He won New Artist of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards in April, and won the same award at the American Country Awards in December.  He also won the USA Weekend Breakthrough Video of the Year for "The Trouble With Girls" at the 2012 CMT Music Awards.  He was ranked No. 1 on Billboard's list of Top New Country Artists for 2011 and recently wrapped up his tour with Brad Paisley's "Virtual Reality Tour 2012" presented by Chevrolet.

Scotty recently released Christmas With Scotty McCreery, which debuted at No.1 on the Billboard Top Seasonal Albums chart with over 40,000 albums sold in the first week.  His first studio album, Clear As Day, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 and Top Country Albums charts, making him the youngest man in history to open at the top of the all-genre chart with a debut release.  It also garnered the highest sales of any country solo album released last year and held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart for six weeks.  Scotty has continued to perform and record while juggling the demands of pursuing an undergraduate degree at N.C. State University.

For more information on Bojangles', visit www.Bojangles.com.  For more information on Scotty McCreery, go to www.scottymccreery.com.

About Bojangles'
Founded in 1977 in Charlotte, N.C., Bojangles' Restaurants Inc. serves all of its proprietary menu items, such as made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuits, Legendary Iced Tea™, delicious fixin's and specially seasoned, never frozen fried chicken.  Bojangles' boasts more than 500 locations in 10 states, primarily in the Southeast, and the District of Columbia as well as two international restaurants.  For more information, visit www.bojangles.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE Bojangles'