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January 9, 2009

BK's Whopper Sacrifice: Clever But Flawed

In the circle I run in, throwing one's associates through the front window of a public establishment would be considered uncouth. That's doubly true if the supposed gain from such an act is a sandwich. Triply so if said sandwich is "quick-serve," in the new parlance.

However I've gradually come to accept that my circle is rarified and a whole lot more couth than the general population, and so I'll agree with all the people saying Burger King's Whopper Sacrifice app on Facebook is very smart. The concept is simple. Creatives at Crispin Porter + Bogusky working on the BK account were remarking on the sheer number of distant acquaintances and in some cases complete strangers who had found their way onto their friend lists. They decided they could provide a service, and maybe a laugh or two, by giving Facebook users a way to cut the fat, so to speak. So they created an app that facilitated the removal of those fake friends, and then promised to pack the fat back on, in the form of a free Whopper offer for anyone who savages 10 of their so-called friends. The app's tagline: "You like your friends. But you love the Whopper."

As clever as I think this is, I see some problems with Whopper Sacrifice. First, when you off someone on your friend list, that person is told about it, as is your whole group of frineds. ("Jchn sacrificed John Whitmore for a free Whopper"). That's not true if you simply remove them the normal way. I know from many conversations that a lot of Facebook users live in fear that any fake friends removed from their friends list will somehow be told of the action. When I tell people that's not actually the case, they're always visibly relieved. If you tell the victim they've been deleted, as the BK app does, then you're creating a disincentive for decent-hearted people to delete them. However early use of the app suggests it'll be a hit. As of this writing, Whopper Sacrifice has been installed over 30,000 times, and 53,080 friends have been sacrificed. That's somewhere north of 5,000 free Whoppers.

Second, and this is the flip side of the "notice" coin, it strikes me there's potential for bullying here. The removal of any friend by Whopper Sacrifice will be broadcast to the news feed of the user doing the removing, and hence be read by any of his or her friends. Many of these will also be familiar with the victim. In other words, in the hands of mean-spirited social networkers (read: high schoolers) it could be a mechanism for cruetly and ostracization.

Posted by Zachary Rodgers at January 9, 2009 9:50 AM

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Comments

I think this will probably be fairly popular but the high schooler angle is a legitimate one. Nothing like getting cyber-bullied for a whopper.

At least they're flame-broiled...

Really, this has a chance to make a lot of noise (both positive and negative) and seems to, already, be doing just that. In general, BK has been doing some pretty inventive things with their marketing and advertising. Taking some risks and making some serious noise.

The real question is: how are things like this (and their flame-broiled cologne) affecting their bottom line?

Devin Davis January 9, 2009 1:29 PM

This promotion could have been better, if the de-listed friend got a "farewell present" in the form of a buy-one-get one free whopper coupon.

David January 9, 2009 2:46 PM

I agree it's smart and funny. To use Facebook to knock the out-of-control Facebook "friend" thing is arguably brilliant, even. As for the cyber bullying and the people finding out they've been sacrificed? It's intentional and adds to the humor. You've been dropped for 1/10th of a Whopper. That's funny. And it just means you're not really friends in the first place. Now let's say someone ends up getting sacrificed a lot. Well, it's a wake up (with the King) call...that person doesn't have as many real friends as he thought. And if the person's truly bothered by it? Then he's probably one of those people who has a sad, psychological need to accumulate friends on social networks. One of those people who posts what he's doing every day, thinking everyone out there really cares. I think the whole thing is a great commentary and test. Kudos to the agency for coming up with it and to BK for running it. I may have to join Facebook just to get and sacrifice 10 "friends" for a Whopper, no tomato.

Adam January 9, 2009 5:28 PM

"wake up (with the King) call" THAT was pretty funny!

Fred Aun January 9, 2009 7:42 PM

I think this app is brilliant. I try not to take social media too seriously though and actually found it funny to sacrifice some of my close friends and a few people who are just complete strangers. I advise everyone else to laugh along and not take being a virtual friend too seriously.

Brandon January 9, 2009 8:09 PM

Usually, viral campaigns are mostly spread to a couple of closer friends and maybe some looser connections, and then on to their respective friend networks.

What makes this campaign so special, and very interesting is that it is doing exactly the opposite. It spreads through our weakest connections and takes brilliant advantage of of the strength of weak ties.

However, I do agree with the concerns about public de-friending and cyber-bullying.

Kristofer Mencák January 12, 2009 11:23 AM

I hereby offer to friend you for the express purpose of being defriended to get 1/10th of a burger. All I ask is 1/10th of an order of onion rings.

limeduck January 13, 2009 11:58 AM

I read this and you sound like a crybaby.

Brian January 14, 2009 5:53 PM

Yes.I feel the same problems with Whopper Sacrifice as well.
Removing any friend by Whopper Sacrifice will be broadcast to the news feed of the user doing the removing, and hence be read by any of his or her friends.It is no good enough.

mathew April 29, 2009 7:34 AM

January 9, 2009

BK's Whopper Sacrifice: Clever But Flawed

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