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Library/Campaign/Burger King "Moldy Whopper"
Grade B20 sourcesHIS-01594

Burger King "Moldy Whopper"

Campaign · 2020 · Notable

49Editable slideCertificate

A Whopper decayed over 34 days in a campaign announcing artificial preservative removal.

Original · Burger King; INGO Stockholm, DAVID Miami and Publicis
Why Burger King Is Proudly Advertising a Moldy Whopper
ADWEEK
Official Moldy Whopper campaign poster from the agency portfolio.
Burger King / INGO / DAVID / Publicis
Burger King shows moldy Whopper in new ad campaign
Fox Business
Grand Clio Winners: Burger King's 'Moldy Whopper' by David, INGO and Publicis | Muse by Clios
Muse by Clios
DAVID & INGO: Burger King Moldy Whopper
WPP
Burger King | Moldy Whopper
The One Club for Creativity

Spread Score

How it works
Reach68Contagion35Breadth50Velocity65Longevity1249

Numbers

Agency claim: campaign impressions; reporting window unspecified
8.4B
Self-reported · WPP
Seed to peak proxy
same day
Feb 19 ’20 to Feb 19 ’20
Platforms
5
Started on YouTube
Origin
Mixed
Food & beverage

Mechanics

  • TransgressionPrimary
  • Controversy
  • Platform jump
  • Press loop
  • Pairing

How it spread

Trace the origin

Burger King released Moldy Whopper while removing artificial preservatives. Paid promotion, news coverage, retweets, Reddit debate and a Nando's response followed. The campaign won advertising awards; its sales lift was an entrant claim.

Proxy date; not a directly measured attention peak.

Google searchesJan ’20MarMayJulSepNovFeb ’21MayJulNovMay ’22Peak proxyYouTubePressOpen webRedditRetail
YouTubePressOpen webRedditRetail

13 more events on this chart

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Timeline (16)

  1. February 2020

    Burger King / INGO / DAVID / Publicis seed · Feb 19 ’20

    Burger King released a film of a Whopper decaying to announce the removal of artificial preservatives.[1][2]

    Open the first post ↗

  2. ADWEEK / TIME / Fox Business press · Feb 19 ’20

    ADWEEK, TIME and Fox Business covered the campaign while the US preservative removal was still being rolled out.[1][3][4]

    Why Burger King Is Proudly Advertising a Moldy Whopper

  3. Online discussion tracked by Burger King and Brandwatch peak proxy · Feb 19 ’20

    Machado reported a noon peak; Brandwatch's February 10-24 brand-disgust series peaked on the same date.[5][6]

  1. platform jump · Feb 19 ’20

  2. backlash · Feb 21 ’20

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Why it worked

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Origin
Mixed
Sector
Food & beverage
Region
Global
Agency claim: campaign impressions; reporting window unspecified
8.4B
Self-reported · WPP
Evidence
Grade B

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