Actor Sparks BK-Card Freakout†

Chain Gets Big-Time Buzz When 'House' Star Talks Up 'Ultimate Celebrity Perk'

Advertising Age, June 23, 2008 — Burger King got a deluge of publicity after the blogosphere picked up on a London Times interview with "House" star Hugh Laurie, who told the paper his celebrity perks include getting good tables and his "Burger King gold card."

Mr. Laurie was referring to the prepaid, lifetime "crown card" bestowed on a few carefully selected celebrities such as Jay Leno, Jennifer Hudson, George Lucas and Robert Downey Jr. There's one hitch, however: He doesn't actually have one. Some people will do anything to get a free lunch.

Text Messaging Makes Magazine Ads Interactive†

Digital Technology May Be Poised to Support Traditional Ad Sales

Advertising Age, June 9, 2008 — The push to make magazine pages more interactive is building mass and, dare we say it, even real momentum as major publishers and advertisers adopt a pair of technologies centered on the cellphone.

Economy, Rivals No Match for BK's Marketing†

Fast Feeder Notches Sales Gain of 5.4%, Trouncing Even Ascendant McD's

Advertising Age, May 5, 2008 — Burger King is giving rivals a solid thrashing — and marketing is getting the credit.

While other fast feeders fault the recession and housing crisis for tepid sales, Burger King posted a healthy same-store-sales gain of 5.4% in its fiscal third quarter, well ahead of even McDonald's, which reported a comparatively anemic 2.9%.

No. 3 burger chain Wendy's, now in the throes of an ownership change, saw same-store sales fall 1.6% at company-run stores in the same period.

Analysts are crediting Burger King's marketing with some of the gains.

The Rules of Viral Web Success, At Least for Now†

Adweek, January 7, 2008 — The site is undeniably frivolous. Visitors are greeted by a quartet of shimmying elves with cutout photos pasted on their bodies. They are invited to do the same and pass it along to their friends. It is neither a work of fine art nor a technological marvel.

There's Nothing New in Desperate Marketing†

BK, Ford Followed Different Paths -- and Show Why the Best Marketing Comes From Innovation, not Desperation

Advertising Age, April 23, 2007 — The recent tales of two iconic businesses speak volumes about the frenetic conditions that continue to drive (or impede) marketing's ability to contribute top- and bottom-line growth in both the short and long term. Burger King and Ford are diametrical in their current in-market strategies; one has holistically embraced innovation as its growth strategy, while the other seems to have embraced desperation. Lessons abound for marketers seeking the paths to their own go-to-market strategies.

There's Nothing New in Desperate Marketing

Prophet, April 23, 2007 — Two Brands: Burger King and Ford followed different paths in their quests to grow-and stand as case studies of why the best marketing comes from innovation, not desperation.

Why Advertising's Cavemen Are Going Totally Hollyrock†

Wall Street Journal, March 5, 2007 — Is finding a way for marketers to beat commercial-zapping DVRs and helping networks to cure the distressed state of TV comedy so simple that a caveman could do it? ABC's decision last week to greenlight a half-hour pilot program based on Geico's popular cavemen characters highlights the blurring line between advertising and entertainment, as well as the trouble the network has had in launching successful sitcoms.

Burger King of Cool?

USA Today, February 7, 2007 — Burger King is desperately seeking pop culture's holy grail: to be cool. So cool it can sell more than 3 million Burger-King-branded Xbox video games in two months. So cool that The King, its masked icon-with-attitude, showed up in Jay Leno skits 17 times in two months.

Burger King of Cool?

Burger King is desperately seeking pop culture's holy grail: to be cool

USA Today, February 7, 2007 — So cool it can sell more than 3 million Burger-King-branded Xbox video games in two months. So cool that The King, its masked icon-with-attitude, showed up in Jay Leno skits 17 times in two months. So cool that The King's got an ultra-popular profile on MySpace.com.

Burger King Sets High Score with Its Adver-games†

Case Study: Looking at the ROI on the Fast-Feeders X-Box Offerings

Advertising Age, January 8, 2007 — The King has conquered yet another realm: adver-games. Burger King's 'Sneak King' video game for Xbox may not have won rave reviews, but gamers still bought more than 2 million copies.