The Story Behind Arby's Iconic Ugly Christmas Sweaters

The Story Behind Arby's Famous Ugly Christmas Sweaters

The holiday season is a magical time filled with festive cheer, twinkling lights, and ugly Christmas sweaters. Arby's, the quick-service restaurant chain known for its roast beef sandwiches, has fully embraced the ugly Christmas sweater tradition over the past few years. Their Sweater Meats campaign featuring loud, kitschy knits decorated with Arby's food items has become a viral phenomenon and highly sought-after merch.

The First Arby's Christmas Sweater - 2015

Arby's Sweater Meats craze began in 2015 with their first-ever Christmas sweater design. This inaugural sweater featured a scene with falling popcorn chicken, Arby's jamocha shakes, and bronco berry sauce. The sweater's vibrancy and humor instantly clicked with fans, who clamored to get their hands on the kitschy knits.

The demand was so high that the original Arby's Christmas sweaters now sell for upwards of $500 on resale sites like eBay. Their impressive collectability and notoriety helped kickstart the now-annual Sweater Meats campaign.

New Designs Gain Popularity - 2016-2018

In the subsequent years after the launch of the first sweater, Arby's continued to capitalize on the success by rolling out new sweater designs seasonally. The ugly Christmas sweater promotion gained more hype each year, with fresh designs that included arbitrage motifs like meat mountains, curly fries, and of course - roast beef.

These highly amusing sweaters became social media gold, as people began sharing their latest acquisitions. The Arby's Christmas sweaters led the charge in taking ugly holiday knits from novelty item to full-blown viral moment.

The Sweater Meats Tradition Lives On - 2019 to Present

Half a decade later, Arby's Sweater Meats are now a yearly tradition for fast food fans and ugly Christmas sweater enthusiasts alike. New designs consistently roll out each November, typically selling out in just hours or days. People eagerly anticipate what humorous new design the Arby's marketing team will cook up next.

Recent years have seen sweaters depicting scenes like Arby's milkshakes being poured next to a festive fireplace, mountains of waffle fries, and an array of perfectly-stacked roast beef sandwiches. This branding is on full display, but rather than feeling like an ad, it connects with customers through timely humor and pop culture relevance.

Why Do People Love Arby's Christmas Sweaters?

There are several key reasons why Arby's Sweater Meats have taken on a life of their own in recent years, winning over fast food aficionados in the process:

Novelty Factor

The novelty of aBrand-themed Christmas sweater is undeniable. Arby's was one of the first national restaurant chains to really dive into the ugly holiday knit market. The playfulness of seeing menu items and slogans plastered loud-and-proud across Santa-worthy attire resonates with customers' inner child.

FOMO Marketing

Arby's has mastered the art of FOMO (fear of missing out) marketing tactics with their Sweater Meats. With designs typically selling out fast, there is palpable urgency created around acquiring one before they vanish. This not only promotes urgency to buy from customers but also increases brand buzz as people rush to share on social media before designs disappear.

Pop Culture Relevance

Beyond just being funny and spirited, Arby's taps into contemporary pop culture with timely references and memes in their Christmas sweater designs. This could include Skeletor dabbing or Baby Yoda chilling in his airpods. These on-point cultural callouts keep the brand fresh and relevant in the social sphere from year to year.

Will Arby's Keep the Tradition Going?

Half a decade in, Arby's Sweater Meats have shown no signs of slowing down in popularity or hype. If anything, the promotion seems to gain more traction with ugly Christmas sweater enthusiasts each passing November.

Given the combination of nostalgia factor for returning collectors and organic social buzz from new buyers sharing their latest pickups on social media, there is no reason to expect Arby's to cease rolling out new designs anytime soon.

As long as people continue responding favorably and sales remain steady, Arby's would be silly to pull the plug on this viral campaign goldmine. Customers can likely anticipate donning new humorous and timely Arby's-themed sweaters for Christmases to come. It has simply become part of the festive season tradition itself for lovers of ugly holiday knits.

FAQs

How can I buy an Arby's Christmas sweater?

Arby's releases their Sweater Meats on their website every November for a limited time. Due to huge demand, the stocks typically sell out very quickly so you have to purchase them as soon as they are released.

How much do the Arby's Christmas sweaters cost?

The Arby's Sweater Meats usually retail between $35 - $45 based on the design. Some of the older or more popular styles can sell for higher prices on resale sites.

When will the 2023 Arby's Christmas sweater be released?

Arby's has not officially announced the release date for this year's Christmas sweater yet. However, based on previous years' timing, it will likely be released sometime in early to mid-November 2023.

What's the most popular Arby's Christmas sweater design?

According to various polls and reports, the 2020 Arby's Christmas sweater design featuring mountains of Curly Fries appears to be the fan-favorite motif to date. Its bright colors and focus on Arby's beloved side has given it a coveted status.