Burger King's Ill Fated Ad Campaign... Again?

It didn’t work and a lot has changed in fast food marketing over the past 35 years.

You may remember Burger King’s ill-fated ad campaign in 1985 that featured a man named Herb, who had never eaten a Whopper. I’m sure it was based on the hugely successful 1984 ad campaign that featured Clara Peller who asked in her inimitable way “Where’s the beef” as she, and sometimes her friends, would visit fat food restaurants other than Wendy’s who were shocked to see just how large their buns were – but how small their beef patties were. They compared how the Wendy’s single burger had more beef than the Whopper. So, in walked Herb to counter that campaign. It didn’t work and a lot has changed in fast food marketing over the past 35 years. We’ve seen $1 meals, celebrity endorsements (one of my favorites being Snoop Dogg hawking the Beyond Meat sausage patty at Dunkin) and the like.  I came across the latest innovation from Burger King, and frankly I think they are missing a huge opportunity – and no, its not to bring back Herb. Since 2015 Burger King has slowly and too quietly been removing artificial ingredients from its menu. Today the chain has banned 120 non-essential ingredients” from its menu. Wow! Tell us about that. And they are trying to with their new “Keep it Real” meals that have been curated and branded by rapper Nelly, singer Anitta and Tik Tok influencer Lil Huddy. Burger King – it’s time to shout out the food news…and maybe get rid of that very scary big headed plastic Burger King mascot costume.