This week saw the launch of a tasteless (boom, boom) advertising campaign for Burger King featuring Piers Morgan, the man we all love to hate (although, admittedly a bit less that Simon Cowell) and, well, very little else.
The former editor of the Daily Mirror and the News of the World appears lying naked in front of an open fire in the billboard adverts, with nothing more than a scrap of fabric to cover his, ahem, modesty.
At Media Mentor, we always reiterate the importance of key messages to our clients. I wonder if Burger King is confused about key messages?
For a start, a giant picture of Piers in all his greasy glory seems likely to put most people off their Whoppers. And, bizarrely, Piers has also become the body (if that is his body) of Burger King’s new fragrance (yes, fragrance), ‘Flame’.
So, we’re in the midst of a recession. Times are hard, burgers aren’t selling, and diversification is the way forward. But into cologne? Does that really make sense? Who would want to buy ‘Flame’? Who would want to have it bought for them? And who would want to spend time with someone who smells like fast food?
The campaign clearly pokes fun at celebrity endorsements for underwear (yes, that means you Brand Beckham) and fragrances (yes, that means you, er, most celebrities…) by proudly claiming to be the cheapest celebrity fragrance on the market. Delightful. But if you ask me, the whole thing is a bit cheap. And it just doesn’t make sense.
The stunt itself is confusing and doesn’t fit in with Burger King’s previous key messages. Last year, the fast food giant launched a top-quality Kobe beef burger – costing a whopping £85. They also introduced an Angus burger, which was marketed as a sophisticated, indulgent product – not cheap and nasty junk food. At a time when people are increasingly health conscious, this made perfect sense. So why now are Burger King relishing (again: boom, boom!) in this admittedly cheap and nasty campaign with a universally unpopular man?
Getting your key messages right is important. The first rule of media training is: establish your key messages: make them brief, clear and concise. And then stick to them. The Burger King campaign may have raised a few laughs (and caused a few stomach upsets) – but does it really fit in with what Burger King is trying to say about their company?
Our media training can help you to prepare for television interviews and appearances. By establishing strong key messages and learning how to promote good news and delicately handle bad news it is possible to avoid these embarrassing and potentially career-threatening situations!
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June 18th, 2009 at 4:55 am
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