Evolution Is A Lie, Too

A Burger King franchisee recently chose to market its outlets by taking a position on a contentious issue.  It would be a brilliant move if it wasn't so utterly stupid.

I guess they presume their customers are suspicious of the theory of global warming, so declaring the sentiment would 1) get folks' attention, and 2) make them want to buy a Whopper.

It's no more dumb than any of the social media nonsense BK has initiated over the past few years.  The company prides itself on doing things that insult, offend, or otherwise amuse people with campaigns that it says "participate in the conversation."  None of these campaigns actually sell anything other than some possible street cred for having dared to spend money not selling anything (how totally cool is that, dude?).

It's hard to put street cred in the bank, though.

As for this signage, the franchisee is trying to tell the local base of customer something that matters to them, albeit unrelated to the business or experience of retailing fast food.  The implicit declaration is that McDonald's believes in that commie plot to stop machines from spewing filth into the air.  Buy BK if you're a stalwart for burning oil and coal; hell, let's split some atoms while we’re at it!

This is all they have to tell us about the brand?

Global warming is something the politicos call a wedge issue, because people have strong opinions on it one way or another, and those opinions are less the result of reasoned thought, and more the outcome of more instinctual, heartfelt beliefs.  By choosing it as a trigger for a thought about hamburgers, however briefly, the franchisee is gambling that enough folks will say "hell yeah, I agree and, come to think of it, I need to get me a Whopper." 

Maybe it's easier do to, or a better investment to make, than trying to actually convince would-be customers of some unique BK benefit?  If so, it might suggest other biases that the franchisee might want to consider.  Imagine the next series of signs over its outlets:

• The Jews Did It.  Try Our Grilled Chicken Burrito
• Your Healthcare Coverage Is Fine.  Double Whopper Sale!
• Obama Is A Moslem.  Sausage & Eggs Only $1.49
• Evolution Is A Lie.  Get Two Large Fries For Price Of One

I read that Burger King corporate wasn't too happy with the signage, and went to great lengths to declare that denying global climate change wasn't an official company position.

But between reactionary politics and inane social media campaigns, what is?

Comments

[jeben berg]

They should focus on their value proposition. How about:
"Whoppers are cheaper than Teen pregnancy"
"We make change faster than Obama"
"Our Ketchup comes from red states"

[Cincinnati Wednesday]

Another excellent post!

How right you are, BTW - that sign could have been a Tweet. BK Corporate is heavy into the social media. Sometimes people say things "socially" that doesn't work for the corporation as a whole. But BK Corporate is the one encouraging the culture ... so what did they expect. Or maybe their franchisees are supposed to run every board by Corporate. Meet the new Big Brother, not so different really from the old Big Brother.

(P.S. Lots of people have dear friends - and customers/clients! - with whom they disagree on a fundamental issue here and there. Adults don't pick at the differences to be hip; the smart ones look for common ground. What's global warming got to do with cheeseburgers, one way or the other, anyway?)