Sometimes the best way to show a brand serves everyone is to literally become everyone. That’s exactly what Lainey Wilson and Whataburger did in this brilliant campaign that transforms the Grammy-winning country star into a parade of Texas characters, each finding their own way to enjoy the experience.
Wilson—known for her role as Abby on “Yellowstone” and hits like “Heart Like a Truck”—was named Whataburger’s official brand ambassador for 2025, bringing her “Bell Bottom Country” style to the Texas chain’s 75th anniversary celebration.
The campaign, created by McGarrah Jessee (Whataburger’s agency of record for 17+ years) and produced by The Bear, features Wilson disappearing completely into each persona. Construction worker with safety gear, cheerful service worker, winter sports enthusiast in fur-lined everything, and several other distinctly Texan characters. Each one feels specific enough to be real, broad enough to be relatable.
The shape-shifting celebrity approach
What makes this work is Wilson’s complete commitment to the concept. This isn’t just costume changes—each character inhabits their world entirely. The construction worker sits differently than the cheerful customer service representative. The winter sports fan holds their drink like someone who’s actually been outside in January in Texas.
McGarrah Jessee understands this level of authenticity matters. The Austin-based agency has been building Whataburger’s cult brand status for nearly two decades. They know exactly how to respect the diversity of Texas identity without caricature.
Character-driven brand storytelling
The campaign understands something fundamental about Texas culture: people here take their identities seriously, and they want brands that respect that diversity of experience. Rather than trying to find one universal customer, the work celebrates the fact that there isn’t one.
Each character gets their moment. Wilson-as-construction-worker appears to be taking a well-deserved break. Wilson-as-service-worker looks genuinely at home in her role. These feel like real moments rather than manufactured brand experiences.
Austin agency magic
The genius is in the details—something McGarrah Jessee excels at. Each outfit is complete and considered, from the construction worker’s safety gear to what appears to be authentic winter sports equipment. Someone clearly understands these worlds well enough to get the specifics right.
Wilson’s natural charisma translates across every character, but each feels distinct. That’s celebrity endorsement work at its finest—using star power to amplify brand values rather than overshadow them.
“I’ve been rolling through Whataburger drive-thrus since I was just a small-town girl in Louisiana with big dreams,” Wilson shared about her lifelong connection to the brand. “From grabbing Honey Butter Chicken Biscuits with my daddy between horse sales and rodeos to late-night stops on the road playing honky-tonks — Whataburger’s been part of my story every step of the way.”
This approach works because it acknowledges what Whataburger actually sees every day: a rotating cast of customers, each with their own relationship to the brand, each finding their own reasons to show up. McGarrah Jessee and Wilson manage to be both playful and respectful, showing different aspects of Texas identity without caricature or condescension.
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McGarrah Jessee
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Whataburger
Contact: info@mcj.co
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