Burger King, the fast food behemoth with revenues more than $5.37 billion US dollars and a more playful and amusing approach to marketing that has allowed it to create a different identity to that of its larger competitors.

A key part of this strategy has been its constant cajoling and mocking of McDonald’s in a manner that presents itself as a spirited underdog against its more corporate competitor.

One way Burger King differentiated itself from the plethora of fast food burger chains was through heavily promoting one of its USPs with the slogan ‘Have it Your Way’ introduced in 1974.

Before this the fast food market had focused on homogenised mass market products with no customisation, Burger King however had a different approach allowing their customers to tailor their burgers without compromising speedy service – something their competitors later replicated.

Another canny marketing campaign they ran that took a dig at their much more successful competitor was the ‘Whopper Detour’ promotion in the US. Burger King offered a Whopper for one cent if a customer ordered on the app within 600 feet of a McDonald’s restaurant. This innovative idea led to lots of media coverage and ultimately an increase in sales.

However, they have also used some more conventional methods in recent years to drum up business. One such technique was launching a loyalty scheme through the app encouraging regular purchase of items at the restaurant with a very similar system to that of McDonald’s. In addition, Burger King launched its vegan products before its golden-arched competitor which may have also led to positive brand associations.

Despite their promotional efforts, Burger King only hold 1.2% of the fast food market, eighteen times smaller than that of McDonald’s. They have maintained a successful position in the sector and have a strong customer base however are far from being major players.

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