Back in the early ’70s, the folks at Burger King developed an exceptionally successful ad campaign with the slogan, “Have It Your Way,” based on the fast-food chain’s willingness to tailor orders to each individual’s tastes and preferences. The strategy attacked McDonald’s flaw of inflexibility. It was an instant success because Burger King meant exactly what they said. Whether you wanted extra cheese or preferred your burger without pickles, Burger King was more than willing to cater to your preferences.
However, despite the success of the ad campaign, the unique selling point was also seen as a disadvantage: a longer wait. Burger King scrapped the slogan and went through a very public identity crisis replacing “Have It Your Way” with a number of unmemorable slogans including “Your Way Right Away” and “If You Ask Us, It Just Tastes Better.”
And because of the company’s inconsistency in its marketing, Burger King’s traffic and market share began to slip. The burger brand was almost ousted from its second place fast-food ranking by Wendy’s. However, in 2004, Burger King returned to its most successful ad campaign, a switch Burger King’s marketing team felt was “long overdue.”
After compiling research, the brand learned that three decades later and after a slew of money was placed into countless other marketing strategies, “Have It Your Way” was still the slogan that resonated most with its target audience. And with an advertising campaign as “sticky” as “Have It Your Way,” it is foolish to rebrand and go against it.
In 2010, Burger King’s Brazilian marketing agency took the “Have It Your Way” campaign to a new level and presented customers with a “customized” wrapper with each Whopper. Upon entering the restaurant, secret cameras took pictures of each customer. The photos were then printed onto their burgers’ wrappers adding a more personal element to the “Have It Your Way” selling point.
Resources:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/adtrack/2005-05-23-burger-king_x.htm
