Burger King’s Marketing: Bold Moves, Creepy Mascots, and Moldy Burgers
Burger King has been around since 1953 and has consistently produced some of the most entertaining and engaging campaigns in the fast-food industry.
Let’s take a look at some of their most successful campaigns and why they worked.
“Have it Your Way” — The campaign that started it all
In 1974, Burger King launched their iconic “Have it Your Way” campaign. The campaign featured a jingle that encouraged customers to customize their burgers to their liking. The jingle went: “Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, special orders don’t upset us, all we ask is that you let us serve it your way.”
Why it worked
Burger King recognized that customers wanted a burger that was made just for them. The campaign spoke directly to that desire and gave customers the freedom to order their burger exactly how they wanted it. The jingle was catchy and memorable, making it easy for customers to remember the campaign and associate it with Burger King.
“The King” — Creepy, but effective
In 2004, Burger King introduced “The King,” a masked mascot who appeared in a series of ads. The character was intended to be creepy and unsettling, but he quickly became a pop culture phenomenon. The King was seen in various situations, from standing on the street corner to sneaking into people’s bedrooms and watching them sleep.
Why it worked
The King was a bold and unconventional marketing move. It was creepy, weird, and downright unsettling, but it got people talking. The ads went viral, and The King became a cultural icon. The campaign was successful because it was unique and memorable. People couldn’t stop talking about it, and that’s exactly what Burger King wanted.
“Whopper Sacrifice” — Sacrifice your friends for a free Whopper
In 2009, Burger King launched their “Whopper Sacrifice” campaign. The campaign encouraged Facebook users to delete 10 friends in exchange for a free Whopper. The campaign was controversial and received criticism for encouraging users to end friendships for a burger.
Why it worked
The campaign was incredibly bold and unconventional. It took advantage of the growing popularity of social media and created a buzz around the brand. It was also controversial, which generated a lot of media attention. While some people were turned off by the campaign, others thought it was hilarious and couldn’t wait to participate.
“Moldy Whopper” — Gross, but effective
This one’s recent! In 2020, Burger King released an ad campaign featuring a moldy Whopper. The ad showed a Whopper that had been left to sit for 34 days, causing it to grow mold. The campaign was intended to promote Burger King’s decision to remove artificial preservatives from their menu items.
It was also done strategically after McDonald’s Burgers were exposed to retain their composure even after months of storing, indicating heavy preservative addition to McDonald’s Burgers.
Burger King saw this and decided to put forward this campaign. A brilliant move if you ask me!
Why it worked
The campaign was disgusting, but it got people talking. The ad was intended to show that Burger King’s food was fresh and free of preservatives, and it did just that. The campaign generated a lot of buzz and made people think about the quality of their food.
Final Thoughts
Burger King has consistently produced some of the most memorable and effective marketing campaigns in the fast-food industry. From its iconic “Have it Your Way” campaign to its controversial “Whopper Sacrifice” campaign, Burger King knows how to get people talking.
Their campaigns are often bold, unconventional, and even a little bit weird, but that’s what makes them stand out. Burger King understands that in order to be successful, you have to take risks and do something different. And that’s exactly what they’ve done. And they’ve done it pretty well.