August 12, 2009

¡Como tu lo quieres! The Geopolitics of Burger King's Globo-Regional Marketing

One of the most fascinating aspects of Burger King is their highly targeted global marketing campaign. Each country has an entirely different menu and branding strategy. Burger King has implemented cultural research which allows the products to appeal to each unique market. As trends and tastes change, so does Burger King. This approach requires people from all over the world to participate in the business philosophy of BK International.The best example of the Burger King's sublime multi-national scheme is the Chicken Sandwich. Or, in Britain, The Chicken Royale. Or in continental Europe, the Long Chicken. Or, in Spanish speaking countries, the King de Pollo. All the same delicious sandwich, but with different nomenclature. Historically, language has played a significant, almost dominant role in the regional boundaries of culture and politics; the Long Chicken is not immune. Here, the idea is flipped. The language did not form organically four separate words, but the sandwich was specifically named four different ways to adapt to each specific region. In the contemporary Global marketplace, language does not create difference, difference creates language.The same sandwich poses in 4 different ways. Each pose dependant on the targeted consumer. Notice that in the US, he brought a friend.

It is exactly the same sandwich in all the photos. While the lettuce looks equally fake, photo quality, graphics, and framing exemplify the King's Global Marketing adaptability.

The photo quality is different in each design as well. This is when Burger King becomes bizarre. Ordering a Chicken Royale for the first time is weird, but the products and their presentation in El Salvador is plain hilarious. The report between consumer and supplier trumps technical quality in this case. I have always wondered what would happen if Burger King was sold in convenience stores.

Slightly irritated that the Xtra Long Cheese has never made a US debut.Across the World, Burger King takes the familiar and makes it unfamiliar. The Whopper showcased on a soccer field, a burger made of steak, infinite creations, the fantastic flame-broiled hallucinations of a real life Wonka-esque dreamscape.

Argentina...
Mexico...
New Zealand...
Turkey...
Taiwan...

5 comments:

N_O_R_T_O_N said...

I'm loving that tiny electric lime drink from Taiwan...so exotic!

anna said...

liking the arty paint-swatch display for the authentication of the chicken royale...but i hate burger king's campaigns. feels "seedy"

angry catalan said...

But as far as I know, at least in Catalonia (Barcelona) the chicken sandwich is also called Long Chicken. Very irrelevant to the post, too, but their language policy also changes with place wherever there is more than one official language. In Catalonia they only use Catalan, in the Balearics they use both Catalan and Spanish and in Valencia they use no Catalan at all. Seems to fit well what is happening with the language in each territory.

photo restoration service said...

Great series of photos in this ad campaign. well they have the money don`t they!

Anonymous said...

speaking of names for burgers like the Long Chicken...
....i think you should know that the former cannibals in the Pacific used to call human flesh "Long Pig"