It seems Burger King and McDonald's have well and truly put their beef behind them – in fact, things are even getting a little saucy. A new ad for Burger King depicts both restaurants' mascots, the King and Ronald McDonald, locking lips – turning their passionate rivalry into a different type of passion entirely.
The poster, designed for Burger King Finland, was made to coincide with Helsinki Pride Week (which usually takes place in June, but was delayed to 7-13 September thanks to the coronavirus pandemic). Like many of the best print ads, the ad (below) subverts our expectations in way that's both bold and fun – and and will no doubt earn a few double-takes.
We never thought we'd see the day (Image credit: Burger King Finland)
Titled Love Conquers All, the ad by Finnish agency TBWA/Helsinki cleverly turns the shape of both mascot's heads into a heart. "Burger King has always stood for equality, love and everyone’s right to be just the way they are,” Kaisa Kasila, Burger King Finland’s brand manager, said in a press release. “We thought, what better way to convey our values than by portraying an all-encompassing kiss between Burger King and McDonald?”
It seems McDonald's itself wasn't actually in on the act. Indeed, rather than a being a two-way affair, most of the so-called "burger wars" have consisted of Burger King making digs at its famous rival, such this year's "mouldy whopper" ad. But Burger King clearly isn't afraid to include its arch enemy in a message of love. "We hope that ‘the other guys’ understand that it is actually a celebration of love rather than a competitive statement," Kasila adds.
The poster in situ (Image credit: Burger King Finland)
While we're fans of Burger King's new ad, and its lighthearted take on an important issue, there's always something fun about brands poking fun at one-another. From Evian's biting response to Coors Light's 'familiar' rebrand to these 5 times brands had a dig at competitors (and won), there have been a fair share of shots fired over the years. And seeing as Burger King/McDonald's is one of the most famous rivalries around, we have a feeling the king/clown union isn't going to last.
Daniel John is Design Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of design, branding and lifestyle tech, and has covered several industry events including Milan Design Week, OFFF Barcelona and Adobe Max in Los Angeles.
