Red Rooster reignites the Rippa with bacon-fuelled relaunch + campaign via Leo Australia
Australia’s first and favourite chicken shop, Red Rooster (Reds) has reimagined one of its most iconic menu items, putting the Rippa Roll back in the national spotlight with a new hero twist: the Bacon & Cheese Rippa.
The move is part of Reds’ strategy to take a crowd favourite and reframe it for both loyal fans and a new generation of customers, without the investment of high-cost TV production. Instead, Reds has doubled down on distinctive campaign support through outdoor, radio, digital, social and experiential channels.
Leading the distinctive media placement campaign is the bespoke integration with Reds’ Fox Sports sponsorship, encompassing a special Thursday Night Grand Final edition of the Matty Johns Show where the audience, crew and lead talent will be fed Rippas on the night, providing the perfect springboard for discussion.
“The Rippa’s been part of Aussie life for decades fuelling road trips, Saturday sport and late-night cravings,” says Red Rooster’s CEO, Sam Bragg. “Reimagining Bacon & Cheese Rippa is our way of giving it the hero moment it deserves; and tying the relaunch into Matty Johns show is product placement at its best, directly reaching our core fan base.”
The relaunch of Reds Rippa is supported by OOH including outdoor and digital street furniture nationwide, including regional placements; national radio partnerships (NOVA, SEN, SCA); programmatic and Listnr audio activity; social amplification across TikTok and Meta (boosted and organic); influencer partnership; PR activations and exclusive merchandise send-outs; and CRM, loyalty and delivery.
Says Bragg: “The relaunch builds on the momentum of the Rippa franchise, a menu mainstay, while highlighting Red’s ability to generate impact without reliance on traditional big-budget TVCs.
“For years our customers have demanded a Rippa comeback, and the product has been the subject of countless social media debates and requests, its return underscores the enduring power of heritage menu items to spark cultural conversation and drive traffic.
“While Red Rooster continues to develop new products, the Rippa has remained a consistent performer on our core menu. By reviving a much-loved retro classic and modernising it with fresh creative and cultural cues, Reds aims to deliver new “food news” while reminding customers that sometimes, the original is still the best.
“With our distinctive creative approach, we continue to prove that innovation doesn’t always mean new, it can also mean bringing back the best.”
Red Rooster
Joki Li – Brand Manager, Red Rooster
Lisa White – Head of Marketing, Red Rooster
Hollie Lowe – Head of CX & Digital, Red Rooster
Stella Katsaros – PR & Communications Manager, Red Rooster
Jessica Leahy – Digital Marketing Manager, Red Rooster
Qaiser Khan – Assistant Brand Manager – Digital, Red Rooster
Jason Wong – New Product Development Manager, Craveable
Creative Agency: Leo Australia
Shae Jones – Group Business Director
Max Reiser – Business Manager
Social Agency: Influential
Aleisha Cadman – Senior Content Director
Callum Jackson – Social Media Manager
Declan Clow – Content Creator
TikTok Agency: Kill Boring Dead (KBD)
Ainslee Baruhas – Client Director