The Burger King brand has pulled a surprising, global, integrated advertising campaign showing its iconic Whopper sandwich covered in mold. Instead of featuring its product with the classic, flawless, and often perfect photographic style commonly used to showcase fast food products, Burger King let its most iconic product rot to make a powerful statement: The brand has achieved a milestone by removing artificial preservatives from the Whopper sandwich, in most European countries and select markets in the U.S.
Additionally, the brand has removed colors and flavors from artificial sources from all core menu sandwiches and sides in those European countries and across the United States.
“The Burger King brand is currently rolling out the Whopper sandwich with no preservatives, colors, or flavors from artificial sources in the U.S. The product is already available in more than 400 restaurants in the country and will reach all restaurants throughout the year,” says Christopher Finazzo, president Americas, Burger King Corporation.
From the bun to the freshly sliced onions, tomatoes and lettuce, and the 100 percent beef patty – the striking images show the real mold that grows on every piece of the iconic burger. The ads make a reference to the number of days that have passed since the sandwich was prepared, and a line reads, “The beauty of no artificial preservatives.”
“At Burger King restaurants, we believe that real food tastes better. That’s why we are working hard to remove preservatives, colors and flavors from artificial sources from the food we serve in all countries around the world,” says Fernando Machado, Restaurant Brands International Global Chief Marketing Officer.
