Has Burger King Made ‘The WORST’ Campaign Ever?

Cannes Lions’ Marketer of the Year 2017, Burger King, has worked with Amsterdam creative agency Etcetera to launch a new campaign for their latest product release in the Netherlands in 2018: Grilled Dogs.  Those unacquainted with the Dutch language might miss the twist: the Dutch word for hot-dogs is ‘worst’. 

And as Burger King is known for flame-grilling since 1954, the campaign idea is #GRILLTHEWORST.

Psychological research shows that people everywhere have a clear need to start the new year afresh, and to do that they need to make space by getting rid of the stuff they don’t like - and don’t need. Burger King takes this one step further by inviting people to make space for new experiences by grilling ‘the WORST’. Yes, correct: setting  ‘the WORST’ things alight and flame-grilling them…

Those unacquainted with the Dutch language might miss the twist: the Dutch word.

The #GRILLTHEWORST campaign asks everyone who has something they want to let go of - big or small - to join an activation event in Amsterdam on Monday 15 January, where a team of Burger King grill masters will fire up the grill and ceremonially set light to the ‘WORST’ of 2017.

The campaign is launched by an online video featuring a series of ‘WORST’ things hitting the grill and getting flamed. Pink plastic clogs, tax bills and other ‘worst’ items from the year take a hit on the grill.

Tolga Büyükdoganay, Creative Director, Etcetera Amsterdam: “We are proud to start 2018 with the WORST campaign.”

The spot was directed by Dwight Groot from Vigics.