This case study examines Burger King’s controversial Moldy Whopper campaign, which brought attention to the chain’s decision to forgo artificial flavors and preservatives, which have long been blamed for being used by numerous fast-food companies.

Introduction

A strong advertising elicits emotional responses from viewers, whether they are aware of it or not. Few commercials have had as much controversy and lasting impact in the advertising world as Burger King’s “Moldy Whopper” campaign from 2020. The purpose of the 34-second commercial was to emphasize that Whopper was manufactured without artificial preservatives by showing a close-up of a deteriorating and moldy sandwich. Despite being visually striking, the ad generated mixed reviews from industry watchers and was undoubtedly controversial.

Eww right? But beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and that was what Burger King aimed for. There was a range of responses to the campaign; some people thought it was disgusting and unsettling, while others praised its authenticity and honesty. Still, there was no doubting its efficacy. It created a great deal of excitement on social media, which increased sales for Burger King. 

A sneak peek

Burger King’s Moldy Whopper campaign, which defied the traditional, polished portrayal of burgers, received widespread media coverage and successfully increased sales and customer loyalty. By showcasing a decomposing Whopper over 35 days, Burger King ingeniously promoted the health benefits of its preservative-free burger, outwitting its rivals with a bold and innovative market challenger approach.

Objective

Burger King captivated the marketing community with a fantastic 35-day time-lapse video showing a burger being consumed by molds rather than people. The goal of the campaign was to represent Burger King’s determination to shift away from artificial chemicals and preservatives and toward the actual world of its customers.

Challenge

The advertising firm INGO Stockholm was charged with creating a campaign that would emphasize Burger King’s dedication to using fresh, high-quality ingredients in their Whoppers. INGO employed the concept of Moldy Whopper as a way to demonstrate that the burger is free of artificial preservatives. They thought that this would be an effective approach to spread the word about the fast-food juggernaut and set the burger apart from its rivals. 

An Unprecedented Idea

Burger King boasted of using only natural ingredients in the creation of its Whoppers. The ad, which consists of an OOH visual and a film, depicted what happened to a Whopper left out for more than a month: it turned moldy. It goes without saying that once the mold settles, a Whopper cannot be eaten, but that was the core advantage of not using artificial preservatives. The campaign’s imaginative thinking garnered attention globally.

Creative Execution

The Moldy Whopper campaign premiered in February 2020. It featured close-ups of Whoppers in:

• Print.
• TV.
• Digital ads.
• With the tagline “The Real Whopper. No Preservatives. No artificial intelligence. Just real food.”

The central idea was simple yet striking: 

• Demonstrate the Whopper’s real, natural deterioration over a month.
• Show that preservatives were not present. 
• Raw and uncensored approach for customers looking for brands they can trust to be genuine and transparent.

Some marketers saw this as a daring and unconventional effort to entice people to buy more natural and socially responsible meals. Others, meanwhile, were merely turned off and left perplexed by the concept’s goal. 

The Moldy Whopper

The Moldy Whopper campaign showcased a time-lapse video depicting how the Whopper decomposed over 34 days, emphasizing Burger King’s dedication to preservative-free ingredients. Promoted through a social media effort that encouraged comments, the hashtag #MoldyWhopper quickly went viral, sparking widespread discussion. The striking images of the moldy burger made people think about the ingredients in their fast food and the health risks of preservatives. The campaign’s bold visuals effectively communicated Burger King’s dedication to offering real, authentic food.

Results

The campaign’s impact was demonstrated by its unusual visual of a burger that molded, which attracted a lot of attention and sparked conversations on multiple media. The campaign generated – 

• 8.4 billion organic impressions.
• Estimated $40 million in earned media value.
• Sales increase of +14%.
• Awareness of the removal of artificial preservatives boosted by 400%.
• Positive brand sentiment by 88%.
• Awards won: Cannes Lions Grand Prix, One Show Best of Show.
• Removed 8,500 tonnes of artificial ingredients worldwide.

The ad was a huge success on social media, garnering astounding numbers: 

Facebook:

• 1.4 million minutes were spent watching the “Moldy Whopper” video.
• 39% viewers saw the entire 45 seconds.

Instagram:

• The in-feed photo surpassed the benchmark for engagement rate by 27%.

Twitter / X:

• 159% higher engagement rate than the organic benchmark.
• organic benchmark video view count was 187%

YouTube:

• 1.7 million hits.

Love this or hate this new #adcampaign from @BurgerKing? The chain is celebrating its #moldywhopper. I gotta say… its a smart & interesting take. https://t.co/62lmXwQIVn pic.twitter.com/LXVfNGtTw4

— Kirsten Boyd (@Kirsten__Boyd) February 19, 2020

What worked?

The Moldy Whopper campaign was successful due to a number of elements. A few of them are free here:

1. Shocking and eye-grabbing images: The image of a moldy Whopper was a bold and hazardous move, but it certainly captured people’s attention and made them stop and think. It was successful in creating awareness and buzz.
2. Simple and successful messaging: Burger King Whoppers are no longer made with artificial preservatives. This was the campaign’s clear and succinct message. Customers who were growing more worried about the quality of the food they were eating responded well to the message.
3. Sense of humor: The advertisement was somewhat humorous even though it used repulsive imagery, which added to its memorability and likeability.

Burger King’s Moldy Whopper campaign was a daring marketing move that paid off big time. It contradicted the usual ads we see, and showed the importance of taking risks. Viewers remember it well even today, and it has helped improve how customer see Burger King, leading to more sales. Right now, it is seen as a great example of how creative thinking can have a lasting impact in marketing. The campaign received a lot of attention for its message about using no preservatives, which people talked about the most! The tagline, “The beauty of no artificial preservatives” marked a significant pivot from conventional food marketing.