Dave's Hot Chicken names new marketing chief
Dave’s Hot Chicken has added to its C-suite as it continues to expand.
The Nashville-style hot chicken chain, which was acquired for $1 billion over the summer, has named Brandon Rhoten as its new chief marketing officer. In the role, Rhoten will oversee all aspects of brand marketing, creative strategy, digital and social engagement, media, and long-term brand growth.
Rhoten most recently served as the chief marketing officer at advertising platform GroundTruth for the past three years. He previously served as the global chief marketing officer at Potbelly and as the global chief marketing officer at Papa John’s International before that. Rhoten also spent six years in a variety of marketing roles at Wendy’s from 2011 to 2017.
"We have built a world-class team of franchisees and support staff, and Brandon is an incredible addition to our team," said Bill Phelps, CEO of Dave's Hot Chicken. "His experience building culturally relevant brands and driving real results will be invaluable as Dave's continues its rapid growth across the United States and internationally."
Dave’s Hot Chicken says Rhoten’s early priorities as marketing chief will include identifying core traffic drivers, deepening the brand's social and digital foundation, and building “test-and-learn programs” to accelerate reach and relevance.
[READ MORE: Dave's Hot Chicken tests drone delivery program]
"From the moment I started working with the Dave's team, I knew the brand was something special," said Rhoten. "Dave's Hot Chicken has the exact DNA where I've historically done my best work. It's a bold, social-led brand with great food, strong operations, and a willingness to take risks. My goal is to help bring that spirit onto bigger stages while staying true to what made people fall in love with Dave's in the first place."
Founded in 2017 in Los Angeles, Dave’s Hot Chicken has sold the rights to more than 1,020 franchise locations in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Canada. It currently operates nearly 400 locations worldwide.
