Burger King Super Fans
Posted on 01. Feb, 2010 by Chuck Rocker in Business, Dis & Dat, Lifestyle, News
6 years ago Burger King decided to launch a new marketing strategy and focused its efforts on courting its “super fans”, 18 – 34 year olds that account for half of all visits to BK restaurants. Things were going great for 5 years…and now, are backfiring.
These young men and women spent the most money at the fast food chain’s stores but not any more. Thanks to high unemployment and a population more focused on healthy eating, the one-time “super fans” are disappearing. Burger King’s same-store sales in the U.S. and Canada declined 4.6% in the three months ended Sept. 30, while McDonald’s posted U.S. same-store sales growth of 2.5%.
So what did BK do wrong?
According to some franchisees and industry analysts, the problem was their marketing strategy. The “super fan” ads alienated women, children and other potential customers. The chain ran irreverent television and online ads featuring its big-headed King character, which some people found cool and some found creepy. Some ads offended Hindus, Mexicans and women. An advertisement for Burger King’s Texican Whopper featuring a small wrestler dressed in a cape resembling a Mexican flag drew the ire of Mexico’s ambassador to Spain. The company also drew fire for its “SpongeBob Square Butts” ad, which featured the King Mascot dancing alongside women with squared-shaped butts.
But marketing wasn’t the only reason. On average, 18- to 34-year-olds went to fast-food chains about 13 times per month from January to September 2009, down from almost 19 times per month in 2006, says market-research firm Sandelman & Associates.
Bad news for the burger business. I wonder how In-N-Out is doing?
