Pei Wei to Panda Express: 'Our orange chicken is wei better'

In an effort to compete with Panda Express, Pei Wei has launched its Wei Better Orange Chicken made-to-order with fresh, house-cut and battered crispy tempura white-meat chicken, wok-seared in orange sauce and tossed with sliced oranges.

"Since I joined Pei Wei a year ago, I've continued to be impressed by how much hand-crafted care goes into creating Pei Wei's incredible food,” J. Hedrick, CEO of Pei Wei, said in a company press release. "Wei Better Orange Chicken is fresh, unlike food served by our competitors who use frozen chicken and highly processed ingredients. Pei Wei's commitment to quality and freshness is what makes Wei Better Orange Chicken so special."

To celebrate the debut of its Wei Better Orange Chicken, Pei Wei is taking to the airwaves with a competitive advertising campaign featuring its newly introduced Tiger mascot and hapless friend, the Panda. Created by Los Angeles-based Siltanen & Partners, the TV spot reinforces the superior quality and value of Wei Better Orange Chicken, while showcasing Pei Wei's provocative social media campaign that creates awareness around the importance of fresh ingredients and quality food, according to the release. 

"Our campaign is entertaining, but it carries a serious message," said Brandon Solano, Pei Wei's Chief Marketing Officer. "We believe our guests should know what they're eating, and they deserve to have their meals freshly made with quality ingredients. We also believe Orange Chicken is best when it's prepared by experienced chefs. ... In short, we know our Orange Chicken is Wei Better."

"People are going to love this ad campaign, and they're going to love Pei Wei's new Wei Better Orange Chicken," said Rob Siltanen, founder of Siltanen & Partners. "Tiger is the perfect spokes-animal for Pei Wei. He is proud, bold, knows everything there is to know about Pei Wei and he is a natural fit with Asian culture."

In the ad, Panda admits that Panda Express orange chicken is made with frozen chicken.  Click here to watch.