Burger King directs viewers to tune in for free Whoppers

The Offer: The last piece of work Crispin Porter & 
Bogusky released for Burger King in June (the agency lost its BK business this year) is a twist on traditional DRTV. The minimalist campaign lives on DirecTV, where subscribers can tune in to channel 111 for a chance to earn free Whoppers simply by watching a channel whose only programming is a single-frame view of a Whopper and a countdown clock.

The Data: Burger King is not using data to target 
the campaign. The fast food company relies instead 
on the strength of the offer to drive participation.


The Channel: Though the campaign uses technology to monitor engagement and deliver the offer, the approach is a modern twist on traditional DRTV that incorporates couponing and in-store elements in place
of a 1-800 number or website call-out.


The Creative: Viewers see a Whopper spinning slowly over an open-fire grill. The clock on top of the screen begins counting down from 30 minutes as soon as the channel is accessed. Periodic instructions direct viewers to engage with the spot by pushing various buttons on their remote to ensure they are still paying attention. 


Verdict:

David Brown is EVP and general manager of Meredith Integrated Marketing. He oversees the company's Content and CRM business, including database analytics agency Directive Analytics. Prior to joining Meredith in 2005, he held senior-level positions at Dentsu and OgilvyOne Worldwide.

This seems like more of a last-ditch attempt to generate buzz rather than a play to make any kind of a real connection with consumers. It's certainly not direct marketing. Sure, they'll get a lot of folks 
redeeming for a free burger, but are they one step closer to growing a loyal customer base? I think not.