Wendy's ads to reflect the spirit of its founder

Wendy's International has had a corporate change of heart. After removing its founder, Dave Thomas, from its advertising and marketing efforts after his death in January, it will now put him back into its campaigns beginning next month.

Wendy's will describe food as being "prepared Dave's way" in the commercials touting the slogan "It's better here," which promote the low-price "Super Value Menu," company spokesman Bob Bertini said Monday. The new commercials will build on current ones portraying Dublin, Ohio -- Wendy's headquarters -- as a friendly, multiracial community.

Bertini said Wendy's has no plans to use Thomas' image or voice in the new commercials. However, owners of the Wendy's restaurants will soon be sent decor kits that include vintage ads, photographs and posters devoted to Thomas' career, the adoption charities he supported and the company's history. Displaying the materials will be up to the individual franchisees.

Thomas, who died of liver cancer in January, was the company's premier pitchman in a 12-year advertising campaign that featured his folksy, sometimes self-effacing humor.

Wendy's executives had thought consumers would consider it unseemly or exploitive to continue running ads that featured the avuncular founder. But after witnessing the intense bond that consumers still had with Thomas even after his death, the company reconsidered.

"We had stated we had no intention of continuing to use Dave in our advertising," said Don Calhoon, executive vice president for marketing at Wendy's International. "But I don't think we had all the answers in January.

"I've got to tell you, after we saw the response to his passing, I changed my mind," he added, citing examples like "hundreds of telephone calls" from customers "who said they were paying tribute to Dave by coming into the stores."

Wendy's reported this month that such visits may have contributed to a 10 percent increase in revenue in the first quarter and a 12 percent increase in net income. Same-store sales at company-owned Wendy's rose 5.6 percent.

-- Information from the Associated Press and New York Times was used in this report.

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