Delicious burgers, tasteless campaign: burger brand markets to potential franchisees by joking about murder
Share
CONTENT WARNING: If you don’t like the above image (from Burger Urge’s website), there’s worse further down this page, including uncensored simulated murder scenes, so be warned.
_
A new campaign from franchise brand Burger Urge is “having a little fun” with murder.
Brisbane-based burger franchise Burger Urge’s new ‘Want to murder your boss?’ Campaign targets disgruntled employees as potential new franchisees.
According to the company, the campaign “targets those who are unsatisfied in their current job and want to take on the challenge of being their own boss.”
While shocking marketing campaigns are generally agreed to be effective in terms of attention at least, has this campaign crossed a line? Its dark-humoured appeal to a sense of dissatisfaction with the workplace is interesting and makes sense, but the graphic creative and steadfast commitment to the murder angle – the release contains only one real mention that the campaign is a joke – will no doubt garner complaints.
Here’s the copy from Burger Urge’s website that accompanies the above image:
Do you think about murdering your boss on a daily basis?
We can help. Soothing those inner demons, it’s our specialty.
A Burger Urge franchise allows you to be the boss whilst still being part of an established network.
Our Franchise Partners receive comprehensive, ongoing support from our Brisbane HQ, including but not limited to, Operations, Training, IT and In-house Marketing.
Leave that old slave driving psycho behind and be the boss you want to be. Build your own business – creating delicious burgers.
Enquire now to receive further information and stop the man getting you down!
While we can see how the strategy and insight might have developed the campaign, the execution (Wish there was another word to use in this case – Ed.) is graphic, to say the least. If you think the idea of using ‘murdering another human being’ as a joke is in poor taste, check out the creative.
Yes, indeed, those certainly are some murdered bosses.
In the press release announcing the campaign, Burger Urge co-owner and director, Sean Carthew, said that the campaign was a way to “break through the franchise marketing drudgery with a message that rings true with so many people”.
“Every other person you speak to wants to kill their boss at one time or another, so our latest franchisee campaign is having a little fun with it, just saying what many people are already thinking.”
Marketing partnership manager and feminist mixed-media artist Tyler Payne is not a fan. “My first reaction when looking at the imagery is how, as in most advertising, the female is sexualised and the man is not. Also, while I don’t understand the need to use violence to appeal to potential customers at all, violence against women and especially sexualised violence is a whole other level of disgusting.”
You also have to wonder about the type of franchisee applicants the company will be getting in response.
–
Further reading:
