Case study

Case Study: Burger King Burger King’s Advertising Tactics Burger King has successfully used unconventional marketing tactics to catch the attention of the consumers. In fact, the fast food giant has been able to gain mileage and free publicity through word-of-mouth (WOM) as many of its advertising campaigns have gone viral. The ‘ Subservient Chicken’, ‘ Whopper Freak Out’ and the ‘ Whopper Sacrifice’ campaigns, albeit controversial, have been able to strike the right chord with Burger King’s target market.
The other successful advertising campaigns employed by Burger King include ‘ Coq Roq’ and ‘ Whopper Virgins’ also have had their share of criticism. In nutshell, Burger King’s quirky advertising has enabled it shed its old boring image, stand out and position itself as a joint for fun loving people. The company has witnessed an increase in revenue, thanks to the advertising campaigns that had the potency to surprise customers.
The Alienation Aspect
The purpose of advertising may be information dissemination, persuasion or brand building. Advertising is said to be effective if it achieves the stated objectives. Burger King has been able to attract the 18- to 34-year-old males even though it has alienated others. In essence, the company has not contravened any legal requirement and has used legitimate advertising to reach the desired demographic profile.
The Ethical Dimension
Ethics refer to an individual’s moral judgment about right and wrong. They emanate from the norms and beliefs prevalent in the society. Ethics is a subjective term. The opinion on whether a particular action or decision is ethical or unethical may vary from person to person.
Burger King’s advertising strategy may be regarded as unethical in parts. In some campaigns, Burger King’s advertising agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky used visuals that were demeaning to women. Critics alleged that fast food retailer was relying on sex to promote its products. Some pictures posted on the company’s website with the caption “ Groupies love the Coq” were also inappropriate for children viewing.
The fast-food giant’s ‘ Whopper Virgins’ campaign wherein three separate people groups underwent blind taste tests was racially demeaning and thus unethical. These advertisements depicted people from regions of Iceland, Thailand, and Transylvania and were stated to have no exposure of any of the leading fast food giants.
Negative Publicity: Coq Roq Website
In 2005, Burger King adopted the faux metal band called ‘ Coq Roq’ to promote its new Chicken Fries. The company’s Coq Roq Web site featured a photo gallery of young women. These pictures along with the caption ‘ Groupies love the Coq’ triggered off a major controversy and invited public backlash.
Burger King immediately removed the controversial pictures and cited mal function in Flash and XML programming as the reason for the captions. The rewritten version of the ‘ Have it your way’ that provocatively dressed women was also rebuked. Burger King shunned the sex appeal and moved to other appeals that enabled the company to stand apart. Among other aspects, Crispin Porter + Bogusky redesigned Burger King’s mascot. In its new avatar, the ‘ King’ donned the kingly apparel and had an uncanny smile on the face. The mascot featured in numerous campaigns including the ‘ Waking up with the King’ campaign. The campaign had the elements of fun and surprise, was devoid of the sex appeal and was well-liked by the audience.