Question

Marketing Talk Burger King's ad campaign is getting attention from the public via social media but the imagery is making me not want to eat there anymore and I usually crave their burger. Do you think it's a good strategy?  
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/b...02-20

Answer 1

It's a mistake . it's trying to be to smart . But intellectual argument and logic will not override the negative effect of the picture . It's a dreadful mistake in marketing it's like a stupid person desperately trying to be smart

Comments

@tirado I’m sure most of the people that would intelligently talk about this probably don’t eat at either McDonald’s or Burger King

Answer 2

The fact that we're debating about this is already considered as success for them.  

Answer 3

Excellent strategy that cleverly puts them on the right side of food consumption. It is more an educational campaign with huuuuuuge earned media already. No other food company will get as much coverage in March as this advert will. Also in my eyes it makes it a more trustworthy place as they aren’t hiding behind the ugly truth. We are so used to seeing perfection that something ugly just cuts through the noise in the most incredible way. I’ll never forget this advert by them yet can’t remember any other one they ever made as they are all so generic from fast food brands. Love the idea, love the execution and will love what it does for their numbers in the long run. Not long now before McDonalds also release similar things when their burgers don’t rot for weeks and months on youtube challenge videos.  

Comments

@wanids customers have kept McDonald's burgers for years showcasing how they don't go off. I think that is what inspired these ads.  

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@torras absolutely. I watched them too.  

Answer 4

My brain instantly registers disgust at their product; then I have to consciously try to correct that image Imagery is more powerful than an intellectual argument. This is a very basic marketing fail.  

Answer 5

It's perfect and topical disruptive marketing. First McDonald's has been known to have burgers that don't produce mould over a decade +. Burger King is showing theirs does and is more natural. But most of all, people are talking about this campaign everywhere, including here, I might add. It's one of the most talked about campaigns since the Gillette advert. And *that* is what makes this so powerful.  

Answer 6

Amazing ad campaign. It’s had the desired effect of making people associate BK with fresher, healthier ingredients and helped to change the brand image in a single campaign (I think the loss of BK appetite will be short term)

Comments

Every forum I've seen people talking about this in say exactly the opposite. How it turns them off and they'll never eat there again. I think BK really shot themselves in the foot. There's been several local BK's that have went out of business here. Most were less than 2 years old.  

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@ubald they have the same problem over here but most of our BKs are in really really shit locations so it’s hardly surprising when they close. I really do think shock advertising works well but of course it’s a subjective and individual thing. Would be very interested to see the numbers behind the campaign!  

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@nupercaine yeah, I'd like to see those numbers too! Carl Jr does excellent shock ads for fast food! They generally leave you hungry and horny! ;)

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@ubald doubt it was because of this as campaign.  

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@torras Oh, it wasn't because of this campaign, but it's the thinking that led to this campaign and many of the business decisions prior that has led to their demise.  

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@ubald dunno about that. The BKs here are doing well.  

Answer 7

But check out Wendy’s twitter account. Best Twitter account of any business

Comments

@nguyen Spiiiicccccyyyy

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@nguyen they are on fire!  

Answer 8

Very poor strategy. The last picture you leave viewers with and put your name to becomes the enduring idea & message. Mouldy Burger at Burger King. That's the lasting image and the image that immediately comes to mind when I now think of BK. It becomes an idea that generates a. negative feeling. Through doing this I believe they've installed an aversion to their burgers rather than the opposite. Whoever approved this marketing campaign should be held responsible for any negative monetary impact to the company from this marketing campaign.  

Comments

I don't know who is running their marketing campaign, but they needed fired like. last year. They've had some absolutely stupid marketing lately.  

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@ubald poor taste in marketing lol :)

Answer 9

Creative agency that did this clearly put their own interest above their clients. The creatives get credit for brilliance and the client gets associated with disease inducing rotten meat

Answer 10

It gets people talking/sharing - its a win!  

Answer 11

Makes me wonder if I pull into a burger king. if I'm going to get a moldy bun from some employee that isn't rotating the bread stock properly. I was served moldy bread at an O Charlie's 6 years ago and I've never gone back. ever. plus I'm just waiting for the internet to do a fusion meme with that moldy whopper and the audio from "burger king foot lettuce".  

Answer 12

I like the ad

Answer 13

It does align with their slogan “Have it your way”. People were complaining about all of the added preservatives that they have since removed. As the saying goes, be careful of what you wish for. I think the photo might make people think again about preservatives and maybe even want them to add the preservatives back in.  

Answer 14

They will likely turn some folks off initially due to that nasty image, but I think after the shock, and if they keep that theme running, then I think it's a great way to position/deposition themselves against their competitors.  

Answer 15

I’m sure it’s a very successful earned media campaign. The amount of exposure (even with me, although I’m not a frequent Burger King customer and I saw this news more than 5 times) beats the negative associations that some ppl may have. You obviously don’t interpret an ad creative as somewhat a representation of the chain’s food quality, and I think people are used to it. Like I don’t see riots demanding McDonalds to deliver on their promise to serve the over saturated, colourful, bouncy and perfectly shaped burgers  To a large extent this ad is challenging popular notion that fast food doesn’t rot (usually it’s McDonalds)

Answer 16

I don’t want to eat that burger. That’s the feeling I have right now.  

Comments

And actually it gets me thinking of other hamburgers close to my area.  

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@briannebriano perhaps sushi instead?  

Answer 17

If you leave a macdonalds to rot on the floor a/ it will not rot down like normal food as there are all those preservatives and b/ all the ant trails will be at least a centimetre away from the outer edge of the burger!  

Answer 18

When people sell beauty products so they put pictures of fat ugly people ?  

Comments

@tirado only to show you how crappy you look without their product  

Answer 19

Now of they blasted the grill sounds and fresh ingredients and an amazingly tasty looking burger NOW it would be a win!  

Answer 20

Better to show an aged 10 year burger from McDonald's that still smells and looks fresh. There are much better ways of positioning natural or organic.  

Comments

@undertone totally agree. The mental imagery is too strong, and I've seen the McDonad's 10 year burger, and I'd still prefer McDonald's anyways.  

Answer 21

Total waste of money. I'd love to get that account. they must waste millions.  

Answer 22

It’s a bad ad. Most people are to stupid to read or understand the message. For most people the image will pop when they think of Burger King, leading to a decrease in sales.  

Answer 23

It’s good because McDonalds burgers only start to mold after 8 years.  

Answer 24

I havent heard of this but I understood it imediately. I'm asuming they're referring to the fact Macy d doesnt grow mould? If I'm right. think its bloody brilliant

Answer 25

Looks more like what happens after you eat it.  

Answer 26

They have achieved what they wanted: EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT IT. GOING VIRAL = FREE AIRTIME!  

Answer 27

Positive or negative you’re talking about Burger King - mission accomplished. Interestingly they left a McDonald’s for months on end and it looked exactly the same. Even bacteria won’t touch it.  

Comments

Same thing happens with margarine.  

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Anything can avoid rotting under the right conditions, including human bodies.  

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@bedwell27 but has it actually resonated into additional sales? I had a McDonald’s yesterday after seeing this ad a few days ago and it never crossed my mind lol

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@agro582 Exactly. I just ate McDonald's today because I prefer their french fries and chicken sandwhiches over BK. It still is going to take more to push us over lol. The only thing I'm now thinking when I think of BK is moldy burger. mold

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@kyle6 yeah true I still prefer a maccas.  

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@bedwell27 banging arnt they

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@agro582 bit gutted they scrapped those signature ones but nothing beats a quarter cheese and that big mac sauce.  

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@bedwell27 making me hungry mate

Answer 28

A better approach would have been to timelapse a burger with preservatives over 1 month period and come up with a great line like "our burgers are only fresh and tasty on day 1" or "at least our burger will rot so you know how old your burger is"

Answer 29

It's a NO from me

Answer 30

Some millenial came up with that idea "truth in advertising"

Answer 31

The re-targeting should be how it looks in the toilet bowl. Real natural lol

Answer 32

They once stopped selling their Whopper to help McDonalds with their charity. They are engaging with emotional aspects. More people are starting to become health conscious so plant based meats are coming into the fast food picture. This is a big step for BK and they are leading by example. The question is. would you rather eat a burger that doesn’t mold after being left out for weeks?. That was a huge McDonald’s scare. Here’s a screenshot of a presentation about Emotions in Consumer Behavior. I can share the PDF with you if you like.  

Comments

Love to get a copy of that pdf when you get a chance. Thanks!  

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@ne5272 Sure thing buddy. Message me your email.  

Answer 33

Bad idea—psychology of disgust easily dismissed this as a horrible idea. If competition pushes this ad out and continues it’s viral impact then it could be the end of Burger King.  

Answer 34

Also—this will be a classic example of second attempt at this will be the real winner—and it will be a different company.  

Answer 35

Last comment:

Answer 36

A side by side video might have been better. Like next to the competitors' burger and or real bread, vegetables, and meat. But best to not associate with rotten food in the first place. It does not build a good appetite or imagery.  

Answer 37

Absolutely a horrible ad! Its a great example of why I don't eat fast food.  

Answer 38

I think it makes a good point.  

Answer 39

Oof gonna be pass on me fam

Answer 40

This makes me want to eat their burger a lot more than people's personal stories of testing a big Mac for 28 days or more, and having there be no mold on it. Gross or not, I would rather see something real, and know that I'm eating something real. Mold grows on real food ‍♀️ It's a weird tactic nonetheless, but still makes a good point!  

Answer 41

Yeah having negative imagery on such a positive message doesn’t work for me.  

Answer 42

I think it highlights that the biggest challenge for advertiser's on social media is to cut through the noise and distraction.  

Answer 43

If they wanted to do this, they should have shown a big picture of a fresh burger and then done a time lapse kind of thing with smaller pictures showing how long it takes to mold but used less resolution each time it got worse. and then they should have shown “the competition” burger lasting forever and still looking the same. but either way, you gotta show a moldy burger that’s “their own product” lol  I don’t think it’s the right move since either way, the organic movement isn’t stopping at Bk to increase their tree huggedness and healthy lifestyle.  

Answer 44

Only time will tell. It's kind of a genius move cause I'm sure they have a reason for doing what they're doing.  

Answer 45

I think it's brilliant advertising. Not eaten McDonald's since I saw the 10-year challenge with zero mold on any of the food. The best, freshest food in all our houses right now rots fast. Every item of healthy fresh food in my cupboard right now would look like that in 28 days. This AD is just a shock tactic to get the message across fast and it works, it's gone viral around the globe. Message received. Its fresh food with no preservatives. The image is horrible but the message will outlive the image. Case in point, a loaf of moldy blue bread in your cupboard will make you feel sick but you forget about it the second you see fresh bread. This will be no different. A round of applause to the marketing team.  

Answer 46

I like the idea but the pictures make me not want to eat. It’s something that might sit in the back of my mind but I don’t really think it would motivate me initially.