Burger King's personalised face masks are truly bizarre
(Just like the rest of 2020.)
Unless you've been living under a rock (which, in 2020, we wouldn't blame you for), you're no doubt aware of the importance of face masks during the coronavirus pandemic. But while they're a huge part of the new normal, some face masks still manage to look anything but normal – such Burger King's new, personalised offering.
Burger King Belgium is offering customers a personalised 'Safe Order Mask', with the wearer's preferred order emblazoned across the front. From the Whopper to the Double Steakhouse, customers can have their favourite burger typed across the mask (along with the word 'please', of course). If you're in the market for a covering that doesn't feature the name of a burger, here's where to buy a face mask.
Produced with creative agency Buzzman, the campaign has seen thousands of fans respond to a Facebook post inviting them to comment with their favourite order. 500 will be selected to receive a personalised Safe Order Mask.
"Why settle for a simple and mainstream piece of blue fabric when you can make a real statement with your mask?" asks a press release – which sounds great, as long as the statement you want to make is that you'd like a burger, please. (For a truly personalised mask, our how to make a face mask guide has you covered.)
Listlessly walk into a burger king wearing my 10 piece chicken nuggets mask and stare blankly at the cashier until she understands what I want; when she asks what sauce I pull out and put on my smaller mask that just says "ranch" https://t.co/tcB2hrhpEwAugust 21, 2020
While the mask could prove useful at the front of the queue at Burger King, it's going to look pretty bizarre literally anywhere else. Wearers can probably expect bemused looks from cafe or supermarket staff wondering why you're asking them for a Whopper – and heaven forbid you accidentally wear it in McDonald's.
The tongue-in-cheek concept is in keeping with Burger King's recent advertising output, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. From onion-heavy burgers to huge cardboard king's crowns, the company has approached social distancing with a signature light touch (and with much greater success than McDonald's' tasteless social-distancing logo).
While Burger King's personalised masks aren't exactly serious (and will likely only appeal to bonafide burger buffs), the gimmick is at least a fun way of highlighting the importance of face coverings in a post-lockdown world. And with face masks now encouraged in communal areas in UK schools, they're more important than ever – here's where to buy face masks in the UK.
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Where to buy a face mask - quick links
- Etsy.co.uk – a wide range of face masks from just £3.99
- Buff – protective face coverings at low prices
- HYPE – pack of 3 face masks for less than £25, with 100% of profits for the NHS
- Ebay.co.uk –cloth face masks at a super-low prices
- Silkies – pack of 2 protective face masks for less than $20
- Stringking – Cloth masks with CDC-recommendations for just $6.99
- Etsy.com – patterned face masks for as a little at $4
- Los Angeles Apparel - 3 adjustable face masks for only $30
- Sock Cares – cool and funky face masks for only $12
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Daniel John is Design Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of art, design, branding and lifestyle tech (which often translates to tech made by Apple). He joined in 2020 after working in copywriting and digital marketing with brands including ITV, NBC, Channel 4 and more.