Have It Your Way

Have It Your Way
Burger King’s Newest Viral Campaign

Game time! Finish the lyrics:

“Gimme a break, gimme a break, break me off a piece of that ___ ___ ___”

“The best part of waking up is ____ in your cup”

“Like a good neighbor, _____ ____ is there”

Everyone can fill in the above blanks with the household brand names who have managed to create memorable and catchy jingles. We’ve all whistled while walking through the grocery store or sang a jingle while doing dishes after dinner. Burger King has managed to take the world by storm with their new “You Rule” campaign.

Football season has been at its peak over the last couple of months and along with enjoying action-packed games, I’ve watched a lot of commercials. I walk around singing “Whopper, Whopper, Whopper, Whopper” several times a day because the new Burger King ad, which is a part of the new campaign that launched in October 2022, has been dominating the airwaves.

After lagging competitors in 2022, the team at Burger King decided it was time to launch “Reclaim the Flame.” This plan, which was developed by Burger King leadership and top franchisees, is a $400M investment in the future of Burger King. The plan consists of two parts: a $150M investment (“Fuel the Flame”) in advertising and digital media alongside a $250M investment (“Royal Reset”) in restaurant renovations and updates. This investment in digital advertising over the next two years is an increase of 30% in media purchasing. The company anticipates an increase in adjusted earnings per share of $0.10 – $0.12 annually in 2022 and 2023.

This effort focuses on Burger King continuing to build upon brand icons like “flame-grilling” and “Having It Your Way” while also highlighting individuality. Their aim is to reach a younger audience and so far, it seems to be working.

Social media, home to the younger generation that the chain is aiming to reach, is abuzz about the Whopper. Sports personalities, social media influencers, and more are talking about how the Whopper song has infiltrated their daily lives.

Not only is Burger King creating engaging paid media content, they are contributing to the viral impact through their own organic social channels, allowing them to connect with a younger audience through their authentic brand voice and personality.

Burger King is also exploring new ways to reach consumers. They have taken steps into the cryptocurrency world by partnering with Robinhood. Additionally, they have created the “Burger Glitch” to connect with the gaming audience. The “Burger Glitch” tasks users to find technical bugs/glitches within their mobile app and rewards them with promotional offers accordingly.

While some viewers might think these new ads are just another Burger King commercial with a song that gets stuck in your head, we can appreciate it for what it is, a well thought out strategic campaign. Burger King noticed an opportunity to improve, created a decisive plan to a specific audience, and generated awareness that should result in increased sales over the next several years.