Dive Brief:
- Burger King has appointed Mojo Supermarket as social agency of record and Praytell as public relations AOR for the U.S., per news shared with Marketing Dive.
- Mojo Supermarket will lead Burger King’s always-on social strategy, including creative, community engagement and activations, while Praytell is tasked with generating earned media, managing influencer relationships and identifying relevant cultural stories. The two will collaborate closely to shore up a challenger positioning for the QSR chain.
- Early fruits of the agency partnerships are already capturing attention. Burger King recently went viral by mocking a video posted by chief rival McDonald’s, wherein the Golden Arches’ CEO Chris Kempczinski awkwardly reviews a new Big Arch burger.
Dive Insight:
Burger King’s pair of new agency appointments recognize the growing power social media plays in building brand discovery and relevance, as well as how gaining notice on social channels like TikTok and Instagram can translate into massive earned media wins. The agency roster changes come as combative marketing is again on the rise, with QSRs facing increased category pressures around pricing.
In a demonstration of the new agency strategy in action, Mojo Supermarket claimed credit for a viral video that shows Burger King President Tom Curtis taking a bite of a Whopper and stating the only thing missing from the meal is napkins. The post is a shot across the bow at McDonald’s chief Kempczinski, who’s been dog piled online for a stilted video of him reviewing the brand’s new Big Arch offering, which he refers to as “product.” Other chains, including Wendy’s, A&W and Jack in the Box, have similarly poked fun at Kempczinski.
Beyond being able to tap into trending cultural discussions like the Big Arch kerfuffle, Burger King sees its new agency hires as a way to strengthen loyalty with existing customers and attract new diners.
“Burger King is moving in real time and our capability to connect with Guests, lapsed users and new Guests require us to move faster and with more relevance,” said Joel Yashinsky, Burger King U.S. CMO, in a statement. “Social and earned require brands to bring their authentic and sometimes aspirational selves to our Guests in real time. As we elevate the Burger King brand our integrated agency team has been completed with these great new additions.”
Burger King’s same-store sales growth, an important measure of restaurant health, rose 2.7% for the period ended Dec. 31, above analyst expectations. Performance for the quarter was bolstered by promotions like a “SpongeBob SquarePants” tie-in menu targeted at families.
Late last month, parent Restaurant Brands International unveiled an expansion of its successful Reclaim the Flame plan for Burger King that involves increased marketing investment, along with updates to core menu items like the Whopper, greater use of artificial intelligence and the refranchising of some restaurant locations.
