Digital & Social · Global · 2018
Burger King: Whopper Detour
Burger King sold a Whopper for one cent, but only if you ordered it on the app while standing near a McDonald’s.
By Maer Media editorial teamPublished 4 October 20263 min readFCB New YorkUI/UX Design · Campaigns · Content & Social
- Brand
- Burger King
- Market
- Global
- Year
- 2018
- Category
- Digital & Social
- Agency or team
- FCB New York
- Channels
- Mobile app, geofencing, social, PR
The context
Burger King’s app was behind competitors in installs and mobile ordering, and the brand had a long tradition of provoking McDonald’s.
Mobile ordering habits form around one app; people need a reason to switch.
The move
FCB New York geofenced more than 14,000 McDonald’s locations. Customers who opened the Burger King app within 600 feet of one unlocked a one-cent Whopper and were directed to the nearest Burger King.
How it was executed
- Geofenced thousands of McDonald’s restaurants.
- Unlocked a one-cent Whopper only within 600 feet of a rival.
- Sent users to the nearest Burger King to collect.
Burger King sold a Whopper for one cent, but only if you ordered it on the app while standing near a McDonald’s.
What happened Reported facts
Burger King reported about 1.5 million app downloads during the promotion, and the app reached the top of the App Store charts. The campaign won Grand Prix honours at Cannes Lions 2019.
Why it worked Maer’s analysis
The rival’s footprint became Burger King’s media, and the mechanic was the story, so press and social carried it.
What to take from it Maer’s analysis
- 01Use the competitor’s footprint as your media.
- 02A product promotion can be a product feature.
- 03Make the mechanic the story.
Indian QSR and quick-commerce apps can use location mechanics, but must handle consent, privacy and fair play with competitors carefully.
Where Maer applies this
The same thinking runs through these brand templates:
Sources: Burger King; FCB New York; Cannes Lions 2019. Figures are as publicly reported; Maer Media was not involved in this work and is not affiliated with Burger King.
The Maer Media editorial team studies how brands are built, from positioning and packaging to launches and growth. Figures in each case study come from the public sources listed above; the analysis and the India notes are our own. More about Maer
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