Modly Whopper Boosted Burger King's Sales 🍔

Hello, it's Sam!

Today's issue is special because I’ve always wanted to talk about this campaign.

I’m finally breaking down one of Burger King’s most unusual marketing campaigns: The Moldy Whopper.

As the name suggests, it’s exactly what it sounds like. Burger King ran a campaign showing their iconic Whopper covered in mold.

Sounds gross, right? Let’s dive into why this approach worked.

Moldy Whopper 🍔 

In 2020, Burger King created an unusual ad called "Moldy Whopper".

The ad showed a time-lapse video of their famous Whopper burger over 34 days, letting viewers watch it slowly grow mold and decay.

You might wonder why Burger King would show their food getting molds. But this weird choice worked well for them.

The ad blew up on social media and helped Burger King sell more burgers.

People shared and talked about it so much that it reached 8.4 billion people worldwide - that's 50% more than their Super Bowl ad from the year before.

The hashtag #MoldyWhopper spread like wildfire, reaching 2 billion people. Sales went up by 14%, and all the free publicity was worth about $40 million.

On social media, people watched the video on Facebook for 1.4 million minutes in total. It was shared millions of times on Twitter and got way more likes and comments on Instagram than most ads do.

Not everyone loved seeing a moldy burger - about 26% of people said it made them less likely to eat at Burger King.

But overall, 14% more people said they'd consider eating there. The advertisement was so creative that it won one of the top awards for advertising, the Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions International Festival.

Why it Worked!

The Moldy Whopper campaign worked because it was both shocking and smart.

By showing a burger getting moldy over 34 days, Burger King got people's attention but they had a deeper message too.

They wanted to prove they weren't using artificial preservatives in their food.

Most companies try to hide anything gross about their food. But Burger King did the opposite - they turned the mold into something positive. The message was simple: their burgers get moldy because they're made with real, natural ingredients.

This connected with younger people, especially millennials and Gen Z, who care a lot about eating clean, natural food. While other fast food places were trying to hide what was in their food, Burger King was open about it.

The time-lapse video was also a clever way to teach people about their food. Instead of just saying "We don't use preservatives," they showed what that means.

This helped people trust the brand more than competitors like McDonald's. In the end, more people said they'd consider eating at Burger King, and lot more people engaged with the brand online.

This campaign changed people’s perspective towards Burger King, making them seem more honest and health-conscious than your typical fast food restaurants.

How You Can Do This

1. Show Why You're Better: Instead of just claiming that your product or service is the best, show why it stands out. Like Burger King highlighted its lack of preservatives, find ways to highlight what makes your brand different.

   You don’t have to directly attack the competition, but subtle comparisons can help people see your strengths. However, be mindful of the potential risks and evaluate the impact before going all in.

2. Leverage Emotional Storytelling: Connect with your audience on an emotional level. Rather than simply listing features, show how your product solves a problem or fulfills a need. Emotional storytelling makes your brand more relatable and memorable, helping build a deeper connection with your audience.

3. Align with Current Trends: Identify trends in your industry or among your target audience, and weave those into your messaging. Whether it’s sustainability, wellness, or technology, tapping into these movements can make your brand more relevant and resonate with your audience values.

   Just like Burger King aligned with the growing clean eating trend, find ways to incorporate trends that matter to your customers.

4. Embrace Risk, But Do It Wisely: Risky content can generate buzz and increase visibility, but it’s important to take a calculated approach. Controversial or bold creative choices, like the Moldy Whopper campaign, can spark conversations, but make sure it aligns with your brand’s values and message. Carefully assess potential backlash to ensure it’s worth the impact.

The Ansoff Matrix

The Ansoff Matrix is a powerful strategic tool that enables marketers to evaluate growth opportunities by analyzing existing vs new products and markets. It outlines four primary strategies, each tailored to different growth objectives and risk levels:

• Market Penetration: This strategy focuses on increasing sales of existing products within current markets. Marketers can achieve this through enhanced marketing efforts, promotional campaigns, competitive pricing, and expanding distribution channels. The goal is to capture a larger market share with minimal risk.

• Market Development: Market development involves taking existing products and introducing them to new markets. This could include targeting new geographic regions, and customer segments, or even leveraging online platforms. By exploring untapped markets, businesses can drive growth while building on established products.

• Product Development: In this strategy, companies create new products for their existing customer base. This could involve launching new variations of current offerings or entirely new products that meet evolving consumer needs. Leveraging brand loyalty can facilitate acceptance and drive sales in familiar markets.

• Diversification: Diversification is the most ambitious and risky strategy, as it entails entering new markets with new products. This approach requires substantial investment in research and development, as well as marketing efforts to understand and penetrate unfamiliar territories. However, it also presents significant growth potential if executed successfully.

By utilizing the Ansoff Matrix, marketers can strategically assess risk levels associated with each growth opportunity and identify the most effective pathways for business expansion.

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