Fast food restaurants haven't always been known for using the most effective PR tactics or marketing campaigns. Some have been tacky, some campaign based on their children’s toys or their overly fattening cheese burgers, but when researching creative PR tactics, Burger King trumped all.



I came across a PR professional blogger that had written about a Burger Kind form of advertisement that did not involve media, television, radio or any form of wide-spread public advertisement. Burger King had simply "dropped wallets" throughout cities such as Chicago and Orlando. The blogger discussed how many times when someone finds a wallet they are inclined to return it to the owner, but these wallets were different. Burger King had stuffed these wallets with free money, Burger King coupons and any additional Burger Kind items that one could think of. The finders were told to keep the wallet and therefore, many were inclined to spend the free money at Burger Kind while using the coupons they found.
The author discussed how for many, finding a wallet with a couple extra bucks and some fast food coupons on a fast paced day could make someone’s life much easier, at least at that point in time. Like the author, I thought this was a good form of advertisement. Burger King was simply mixing good deeds, with advertisement, but subtracting the factor of publicity. They weren't trying to make a wide-spread audience show up to spend their money on gazillion of calories; they were trying to benefit others and their restaurant equally.



Although Burger King did a great job by "dropping wallets" to bring in customers without using any form of publicity during the advertising campaign, the restaurant has had their fair share of inappropriate, misleading and shameful forms of advertising and PR campaigns.



Recently, Burger King took the idea that "sex sells," to another level with their sexual, fast food advertisements. The advertisement above, along with many others (that are not school appropriate,) were created and put online for Burger King’s publicity. Many of these advertisements make it seem as though if you eat Burger King the opposite sex will find you more attractive, or if you eat Burger King, rather than getting fat, you will get sexy, luscious curves. Being a female, I find it repulsive that shoving a burger in to my mouth can be turned into a sexual pun. I also hate knowing that the ads are made to make it seem as though stars like Kim Kardashian obtain their sex appeal and shape by eating Burger King Whoppers.

As a PR student and woman, I see these sexual advertisements for a fast food restaurant unethical. That is not to say that I believe that all sexual advertisements are unethical because it is clear that within our society today, sex does sell. When it comes to cologne, perfume, jewelry and clothing stores, sex and body image are top sellers because we strive to have that connection that we see within the advertisement by purchasing the items. But, we will not find those connections by eating at Burger King, unless we find the love of our life there and end up falling madly in love while in line and get married and live happily ever after, body image and all.

All in all, Burger King should stick with the ethical PR tactics that make their business, as well as the lives of others, beneficial.

Now I'm hungry.

For more information on the Burger King "dropping wallets" strategy, visit the attached URL. There is plenty of information on this tactic as well as other creative PR tactics and advertising ideas found within the comments, where the blogger posted comments and other PR professional bloggers whom have made comments and suggestions regarding the subject.

http://progresspr.wordpress.com/2008/11/17/burger-kings-creative-pr-tactic/