Remember the creepy Burger King mascot?
The “King” — a man in royal robes with a shiny, frozen smile that never moved — first appeared in 2003. Someone thought it was a good idea.
It wasn’t.
Burger King was #2 in fast food burgers. They wanted to overtake McDonald’s. So they poured money into campaigns featuring the King across digital and print.
What they didn’t do: research how people actually perceived him.
The general public opinion? He was creepy.
After the King’s 2008 relaunch, sales dropped. Locations closed. Burger King slipped to #3 — behind Wendy’s.
Here’s the kicker: Ad Age reported that 29% of Burger King customers in 2010 were actually over 50 years old. But their marketing? It only spoke to young male “super fans.”
They were talking to the wrong people with the wrong message.
The King “retired” in 2011.
The lesson: Anyone with money can launch a marketing campaign. But if you don’t know your audience, your marketing can actually hurt your business.
“All press is good press” is a myth. Ask Burger King.
🎯 Before you spend another dollar on marketing, make sure you know who you’re talking to. Get a free marketing assessment — we’ll help you find the right audience and the right message.
