Welcome to the second #WooWithCopy post! Today we’re plunging into brand rivalry.

Pepsi and Coke, Nike and Adidas, Samsung, and Apple — brands at war get the most interesting when it comes to innovation and advertising. Wendy’s might bring the sass to Twitter but Burger King and McDonald’s go up on billboards to grill each other.

The Genesis

Burger King (1954) and McDonald’s (1955) were born just one year apart. Some sources say that the rivalry started in 1950’s. Some say McDonald’s challenged Burger King first with the big Mac. By the 1970s, McDonald’s had established itself above Burger King. So the latter decided to directly target the clown.

McDonald’s keeps its iconic Happy Meal and Big Mac menu items, family-friendly ambiance, and global reach, at the forefront. Burger King is renowned for its flame-grilled burgers, notably the Whopper. The brand emphasizes its “King” identity in marketing, which underscores its bold and sometimes rebellious approach.

Whopper vs Big Mac

When Burger King decided to return to France in 2016, McDonald’s must’ve felt the need to remind the French of its 10,000 locations and its proximity to them. Here’s how Burger King hit back.

Remember the hit horror flick IT? Burger King turned it into the longest ad ever by putting this at the end of the film in Germany:

Burger King has pushed creative boundaries. It’s pretended to have a car break down on the side of the road, only to later reveal the smoke came from a grill. Yup, people who stopped to help, got grilled burgers for being nice! It has used augmented reality to burn up a McDonald’s ad and reveal a Whopper (2019).

McDonald’s is not far behind with it’s creative juice running at full speed. It can turn its famous M a 100 different ways and you would still recognize it anywhere.

This award-winning ‘Moldy Whopper’ ad was a response to the social media claims that Big Macs don’t decay.

But just weeks after the “Moldy Whopper” ad debuted, the COVID-19 pandemic struck. In the U.S. McDonald’s seemed to recover quicker than Burger King, thanks to what it calls “the three Ds:” drive-thru, delivery and digital channels.

What’s the verdict?

Personally, McDonald’s “I`m lovin’ it” and iconic “ba-da-da-da-da” melody sticks like a Twinkle-twinkle star nursery rhyme. Do you what’s Burger King’s tagline? Neither do I.

Burger King employs out-of-the-box marketing strategies that are trendy and fun. Most campaigns focus on driving app downloads and increasing digital engagements with customers. But practically, how often would you download an app to save a penny? It is using Geo-targeting and media placements brilliantly.

The competition between McDonald’s and Burger King in the advertising realm is both intriguing and persistent. Each has employed inventive and strategic marketing campaigns to attract customers and rule the fast-food sector.

It will be compelling to see how both brands adjust and innovate to maintain their competitive edge.

Clown or King – which is your favorite? Share in the comments!

The end

In the next post, we’ll look at Hinge’s recent ad campaign that highlights the perfect moment.

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