Chill Brand Character Works Zaxbys Sauce Like a Boss

Omar Epps stars in spots from GS+P

Ah, brand characters. We can never get enough. And there are three on display in campaigns that dropped in recent days.

Six Flags introduced a “Funsultant” who rides a carousel horse around amusement parks. Sonic got patriotic with some dude in a powdered wig.

Both feel cartoonish, though bang on brand. They’re self-consciously wacky entries for our post-Old Spice world.

Georgia-based chicken chain Zaxbys takes a different tack, casting Omar Epps as a “Sauce Boss” in spots breaking today from Goodby Silverstein + Partners.

Boss stays chill while others play the fool.

The approach substitutes swagger and asides for broad farce and pyrotechnics. Nothing overcooked here. Instead, it’s quietly diverting in a sea of commercial sound and fury.

“We set out to develop a character that was part life coach, part style guru—but above all—the foremost authority on all things sauce,” GS+P ECD Stefan Copiz tells Muse.

“Zaxbys wanted someone who could naturally embody the cool, quiet confidence of the Sauce Boss. Omar was the perfect fit. Plus, he’s been integral to how we’ve shaped the character––from his dialogue to his look. It’s a role he really owns.”

But will he ever rock a powdered wig? That’d be a thing, you know?

Cue anecdote from filming…

“We shot in Los Angeles, so 99 percent of the production crew had never even heard of Zaxbys,” agency ACD Anthony DiMichele recalls.

“To give everyone a taste, the food prep team made a couple batches of Chicken Fingerz for the crew to sample. They went fast. The prep team ended up having to do double the work to ready Chicken Fingerz for our shots.”

Benji Weinstein provided zippy, no-frills direction through Smuggler. The work breaks today across TV and digital platforms.