Poop-emoji ice cream at Burger King

A marketing strategy for healthier food

Burger King introduced a new ice cream flavor: a poop emoji, with lovely little eyes and a smile, for a new marketing campaign.

Before the emoji eyes and mouth appear, and the pun becomes evident, the funny ad shows a poop-shaped ice cream being served in the traditional swirling motion.

But this is not just a joke: the message is to promote new ‘clean’ ingredients and unwittingly inform clients that the ice cream they were previously enjoying was full of garbage or to remind people that the ice cream is devoid of fake shit. This season, the ice cream is only available through a special ice cream truck, and the company is currently debating whether it should become a permanent menu item.

The ad follows the company’s announcement in September 2021 that it will remove over 120 artificial ingredients from its food offerings to deliver authentic food to its clients. The commercial featured a moldy Whopper as proof that their fast food, in fact, deteriorates with age, as it should. In the United States, 90% of the permanent food menu is already devoid of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. Burger King intends to achieve this goal in the near future, and perhaps this new ad will help them achieve the goal.

Burger King isn’t the only fast-food chain focusing on “healthier” meal options; in fact, it was a little late to join the trend. Panera Bread and Papa John’s kicked off the trend in 2015, with Panera creating a broad ‘no no list’ of additives and Papa John’s completely removing artificial ingredients. Most other fast-food chains have followed suit since then. But, in reality, these companies have no choice: when it comes to fast food, customers are looking for healthier options, even if the concept is a little outdated.

While the ice cream is a brilliant marketing ploy, it could be the beginning of Burger King’s serious foray into the “clean” direction. If the brand’s trial goes well, expect to see more of it, especially with plant-based and vegan choices. Because it’s unlikely it’ll ever reclaim its throne if it can’t figure out how to appeal to health-conscious customers.

Source marker.medium.com