The encyclopedia · Marketing & Brand · Marketing decision · 2015
Burger King asked McDonald's for a Peace Day McWhopper
McWhopper proposed a rival burger for UN Peace Day; McDonald's declined, and Burger King got a global free-media win from the gesture.
Burger King
the move
Burger King and McDonald's are the archetypal rivals, so a peace proposal is inherently absurd, newsworthy and hard for either side to ignore.
Y&R New Zealand had Burger King publish an open letter proposing a joint McWhopper for UN Peace Day, sold from a pop-up between the two headquarters, with proceeds going to charity.
McDonald's CEO politely declined. Rather than let the story die, Burger King opened the idea to other competitors, who built a peace burger - so the campaign kept generating coverage.
Amobee data showed Burger King's positive social sentiment up 529% and its brand moving from net negative to net positive; the work went on to top the D&AD rankings and win the Grand Effie.
why it works
- The proposal is a story the press wants to tell regardless of the answer.
- Refusal by the bigger rival casts Burger King as the generous, clever one.
- Inviting everyone else kept the story alive after the refusal.
- It converted a short PR stunt into a most-awarded, effective campaign.
what transfers
A public challenge to a bigger rival lets you borrow their audience and their awkwardness. Set up a choice your rival cannot win, and you hold the spotlight whether they accept or refuse.
what came after
McWhopper made Y&R New Zealand the most-awarded agency at D&AD 2016 and Burger King the most-awarded client, and won the Grand Effie plus a Grand Prix for media at Cannes - becoming a case study in turning a rival into a platform.
references
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