Breaking through the clutter is a difficult task for advertising. Burger King Germany created a Grand Theft Auto style campaign to convey freshness and choice. But does it work?
Burger King hired German agency .start to create the Veg City campaign using Grand Theft Auto: Vice City as inspiration. The print, web, and tv campaign uses the same components that made the video game popular (sex, violence, stunning comic book graphics) to communicate the restaurant’s commitment to fresh ingredients and that consumers can wield the power of choice when ordering. However, GTA has a ESRB Mature rating to filter out those that might be offended. Should Burger King do the same?
The first thing to remember is this would never work in America. While GTA: Vice City is still the best selling PS2 game of all time, it came with its share of backlash. Some Americans get upset at people who wear the wrong scarf. However, the German culture is quite different than ours and one has to keep in mind the intended audience when evaluating a campaign.
Print Ads
The first part of the campaign were specially-themed liners put in the food trays when eating indoors. I think the art of the tray liners is remarkable. The color and art direction had me pouring over the ads looking at every detail. That’s when I started noticing some of the subtle things that make the ads funny in a Pulp Fiction kind of way. Hats off to the creative director for not regurgitating the same 50s style family smiling around the table eating hamburgers. They do a great job of breaking through everyday fast food dribble with items so visually appealing you can’t help but pay attention.
The first ad in the series communicates the no colorants message in a great way. Notice the Indiana Jones movie reference and the guy in the top left lowering a firecracker down to his neighbor?
Here the edginess level is raised (lowered?). The caption reads, “Pickle in? Pickle out? Only you decide how you want your burger.”
Notice the grey bearded “old” onion that’s trying to pass as a fresh vegetable using anti-aging cream and Botox. His fear stems from the determined policeman behind him. Branding blog Idea Sandbox breaks down the scene further. Thanks to Brand Autopsy for the link.
For Halloween, the agency pays homage to American horror movies. How many did you notice?
This one is my favorite. The caption reads, “Just say the word and we’ll eliminate the onions from your burgers. Quickly and discreetly.”
Website
The website opens with a Vegas city style sign and fades into a true GTA-style map. Like most interactive ad sites, there are downloads, games, and a backstory. Each part of Veg City has it’s own unique twist on the freshness and choice themes. While I don’t see the point in such useless websites, I do appreciate the art.
TV
The problem I see with this whole campaign is that Burger King is a kid-friendly restaurant. They have playgrounds and kid’s meals with toys. While the TV and website channels are easy to avoid, how do you explain to your six-year old why the onion is so scared of the pickle with the rubber glove?
If these ads were for Hooters or some other non-kid restaurant here in America, do you think they would work?
Erin
Thu, July 10 2008
I’m kind of in shock from this ad. But then again, I kind of like it.
Mon, July 14 2008
Don’t fear the vegetable Erin!
William L.
Thu, July 10 2008
As a graphic artist, I find the artwork quite amusing. I lived in Germany for 3-years and got to know the culture very well. The laws in Germany are pretty strict when it comes to violence in TV, movies, and games. When I was there, most PC games that showed blood use the color green instead of red. What doesn’t surprise me is the “sex” advertisement. The city I lived nearby had a Burger King on one side, and a 5-story whore complex (which looked just like any old office building on the outside) on the other. This type of scenery was okay to most Germans.
I don’t think the American public would even want such an advertisement campaign that is based on a game that depicts and worships the brutal acts of murder, unmoral sexual content, and the horrid way women are depicted. Being a father with daughters, if Burger King did an ad. campaign like that here in America, they would not get my business - they don’t get my business anyway.
Looking at the artwork and seeing all the funny and weird illustrations is one thing, actually using it in a campaign to drive in more business is another.
Theres a time and place for everything.
Mon, July 14 2008
I agree American’s wouldn’t want or tolerate a campaign like this. But it is interesting to see how other cultures are pushing the envelope.
Pickles
Mon, July 14 2008
First, it’s about vegetable characters, not human beings. Then you’ll find more explicit sex+violence on any TV nearby. (Southpark, Happy Tree Friends… to name but a few)
By the way: the above mentioned TVC never ran on German TV. It’s a viral.
And no, but no: GTA wasn’t an inspiration for any idea or graphic of the campaign. (although it’s thought for the same target group..young adolescent males.) The ad campaign ran long before the hype about GTA IV started.
And finally: none of the above appeared in the U.S.
Mon, July 14 2008
Hi Pickles
You are right, the ads contain vegetables, not humans. But they are made to look like humans and doing human things. I don’t think it’s jumping too far to treat the ads as if they were people. In fact, that’s exactly what the agency wants us to do.
Regarding the tv ad, thanks for the heads up. I guess we should distinguish between video and television.
The GTA connection was my interpretation, and Vice City, not GTA IV. You may not see it, but looking at the web map and graphic style immediately brought that to my mind.
Agreed. I think I made that point clear. This wouldn’t have gotten past concept in the US.
Thanks for stopping by!
Pickles
Mon, July 14 2008
Hi Jay,
Vice City or GTA IV, it’s one and the same series, right? Vice City is just one of the prequels of GTA IV.
I wonder why people don’t get upset by Southpark and the same. Because MTV has a right to do it and we’re used to it?
IMHO BK is not a kid friendly restaurant like in the U.S. It’s different here in Germany. McDonald’s is the one that’s kid-friendly. BK here is a lot more for young adults than for kids. That’s why Veg City was ok in Germany and people were not shocked at all.
Mon, July 14 2008
Hi-
Yes, same series, but I think the art has changed away from the comic-book style drawings to more in-game imagery. I think Rockstar is proud of the way the game looks in GTA IV.
And that Southpark is on cable and people can choose to ignore it. Plus, it’s old news. 12 years ago people hated it.
Ah, great insight. That helps understand why they would go with a campaign like this. So, while they have things like kids meals and promotions, it’s not the focus. Cool, thanks.
Pickles
Mon, July 14 2008
No need to mention that Southpark is still famous here in Germany - and it’s still on free TV
Yes, right, the focus is totally different here. That’s why there’s a BK next to a whorehouse as William L. pointed out above…
Mon, July 14 2008
Hopefully you don’t get the two buildings mixed up!