SUMMARY 1
ANALYSIS 2
Burger King suffered years of decline but achieved a turnaround after a marketing overhaul 2
McDonald's dominated the fast food sector for many years 2
Burger King's sale to a triumvirate of private equity firms in 2003 was the impetus for change 2
Although not immune to the downturn the company continues to grow, with plans for Brazil and China expansion 2
Targeting the Superfan rather than every demographic has been a key growth strategy 3
The Superfan is considered to be an 18-35 year old male with a love of fast food 3
Burger King's mascot, branding and marketing are intended to be 'cool', to relate to these Superfans 3
Burger King's marketing has been controversial but effective in targeting the Superfan 4
Pre-2008 campaigns successfully referenced popular culture to gain Superfan appeal 4
The Whopper Virgins documentary saw BK conduct a taste test among remote peoples, drawing controversy 5
Whopper Sacrifice asked people to delete friends on Facebook for a free burger, but was deemed cruel and dropped by Facebook 5
A Burger King aftershave sold out within days, successfully targeting the Superfan with a tongue in cheek product 6
Burger King has addressed the concerns of non-Superfan customers with healthier offerings 7
Taste has traditionally been more important than health on Burger King's agenda 7
Unhealthy children's diets and the obesity epidemic have prompted the company to address health issues more vigorously 8
APPENDIX 10
Case study series 10
Methodology 10
Secondary sources 10
Further reading 10
Ask the analyst 10
Datamonitor consulting 11
Disclaimer 11
List of Tables
Table 1: Calories and fat content in the leading burgers of fast food chains McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's 8
Table 2: Consumer survey: the propensity to take active steps to eat more healthily more or less often, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, by country, 2008 9
List of Figures
Figure 1: Burger King campaigns are innovative and wide ranging 5
Figure 2: Burger King has appealed to the humor of the Superfan with its latest marketing drives 7