The archive · Advertising · Marketing decision · 2022
Arby's turns Pusha T's McDonald's feud into diss tracks for its fish and rib sandwiches
Arby's enlists Pusha T to roast McDonald's Filet-O-Fish and McRib in two diss tracks — 8.1B impressions, fish sandwich sales up 17%.
Arby's
What it had to solve
Arby's was promoting its Spicy Fish and Country Style Rib sandwiches as alternatives to McDonald's Filet-O-Fish and McRib, two fast-food icons with far more attention. Pusha T brought both a sour history with McDonald's and a reputation for cut-throat diss tracks, giving Arby's an attack voice that could not be mistaken for a bought ad.
How it works
Arby's was pushing two sandwiches into a fight it could not win on volume: its Spicy Fish and Country Style Rib items were pitched as alternatives to McDonald's Filet-O-Fish and McRib, products whose fame dwarfed anything Arby's could buy.
The creative move was to stop advertising and start beefing. Pusha T had a sour history with McDonald's and a reputation for cut-throat diss tracks, so Arby's signed him to make genuine diss tracks aimed at the rival products. Two songs, Spicy Fish Diss and Rib Roast, centred the campaign — attacking the McDonald's items and championing Arby's versions through an artist whose antagonism was believable.
The borrowed feud did the media's work. The campaign earned over 8.1 billion impressions, sparked conversation and drew new fans to the brand, and sales rose: Arby's Fish Sandwiches by 17% and its Smokehouse Sandwiches range by 25%. The idea transfers because it replaced paid spectacle with an authentic conflict the audience wanted to hear.
Why it lands
- Pusha T's documented history with McDonald's made the diss tracks credible rather than purchased.
- Attacking the specific rival products let Arby's borrow the attention McDonald's had already built.
- Real songs made the campaign shareable content instead of interruptive advertising.
- Centring the feud turned the campaign into conversation, which is what produced 8.1 billion impressions.
What it did
The two tracks earned over 8.1 billion impressions, sparked conversation and attracted new fans to Arby's. Sales followed: Arby's Fish Sandwiches were up 17% and its Smokehouse Sandwiches range was up 25%.
What you can take
When a bigger rival owns the category conversation, don't outspend it — borrow its most credible enemy and let an authentic feud carry the message; the conflict itself becomes the media.
Since then
The work is preserved in D&AD's awards archive with the campaign's results recorded in its write-up. It stands as an example of a challenger brand using borrowed credibility instead of a bigger media budget.
Sources
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