Facebook users can visit the Whopper Sacrifice website to install the application, and select 10 friends they wish to remove from their friend list for a free Whopper voucher.
Usually when a friend is removed on Facebook, no announcement is made, however the Burger King application creates an update to inform the deleted friend that they have been "sacrificed for a free Whopper" on their wall.
The wall post also includes links to install the Whopper Sacrifice application or join the group.
The application has over been downloaded by more than 15,000 users, with an additional 200 joining the Whopper Sacrifice group.
The campaign was created by agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky, which raised controversy with its Whopper Virgins and hamburger scented cologne ads last month.
Comments
brilliant. although disappointingly it only works if you're in the US...
Are they promoting this anywhere besides the web? I wonder how much CP+B had to fork over to Zuckerberg to get around the privacy settings. Regardless, this is genius and one of the best uses of Facebook widget/marketing I've seen. College students will do anything for free food... hope they put a limit to how many coupons you can redeem.
Can't you just re-add your friends later? I'm suprised facebook agreed to this!
That's horrible, why would you want to delete your friends? Unless you're one of those people who adds people who aren't really their friend in the fist place, which is just stupid.
NicV - 09/01/2009
Facebook must be desperate because this goes against alot of policies they have.
I suppose desperate times....
Rather wish I had thought of this myself. Brilliant.
I think some of these posts may be thinking about this too seriously - it is a light hearted fbook application for amusing yourself and your friends my pretending that a free burger is worth more than your friendship.
in the same way you may buy and imaginary drink, chuck an imaginary pie or the plethora of other ludicrous things you can do to your friends on fbook.
I think it's pretty innovative, be interested to know if it works
I knew this was going to happen so I'm actually not one of the stupid people who just added people who weren't my friends.
BURN BURN BURN...even if I'm not in the US and it doesn't work...BURN BURN BURN
I don't get it, at all. Seems pointless.
I think it's a great idea. Even if it doesn't appeal to you, there's something in it that makes you sit up and say "Wow" or at least "That's odd". But it doesn't leave you with any ill-feeling towards the brand. In isolation, this promotion is rather silly but if you place it next to all the other campaigns like the Meat Cologne and the Whopper Virgins, what you have is a campaign that's building conversation and goodwill towards the brand. Perhaps enough to keep you wondering "What will they do next?". And that means keeping Burger King top-of-mind...
Jane K - 09/01/2009
People could just delete those friends who might be interested in a free Whopper themselves... and then just re-ad them later - I think notifying friends is the aim of the game - everything should be as it was when the 'friendship' is re-activated.
Brilliant idea. The best way to ditch "unecessary" contacts with a good excuse.
is not valid in Brazil =/
NH - 09/01/2009
i accept you might not like it nicola, but surely you do 'get it'. don't you?
What if you got deleted by ten of your friends - surely you deserve a free Whopper in commiseration?
I understand how it works I just don't get the point or why everyone likes it. It gets you a free burger, thats prob the only reason. It's just stupid, I don't get why you'd want to delete your friends.
And like it or not you're all talking about it on here, so the marketing through this medium is obviously working.....!!
Dukie - 09/01/2009
If it ends up here, dose any one wanna be my ex-friend????
I saw this yesterday and it grabbed my attention straight away. Really impressive concept and execution. Makes about 99% of the apps on facebook look completely amateur.
Nicola, the tag line basically sends the message that you love whoppers more than your friends. Which is fantastic for the brand. Really don't understand why you don't get the premise. I did it and just deleted people I don't talk to any more. \(Old school friends etc)
As a marketer, really annoys me that people like Nicola cant take anything with a pitch f salt.
brilliant! facebook "friends" are made for this sort of campaigns, nicola
Kayla and all, fwiw they are promoting it via PR. Lot's of coverage, on & offline, in the mainstream \(non marketing) media
How many FB friends have you got, Nicola?
I think the volume of chatter about this has proven its success, positive or negative slant inclusive.
To me this is a brilliant idea that continues to place BK as the Pepsi of the fastfood burger chain playing field. Love the clever advertising they employ - anyone remember the "Whole lotta meat / I am man" Whopper campaign they ran a couplke of years back? Good times.
Comments
Kate Ritchie - 08/01/2009
brilliant. although disappointingly it only works if you're in the US...
Kayla Gerken - 08/01/2009
Are they promoting this anywhere besides the web? I wonder how much CP+B had to fork over to Zuckerberg to get around the privacy settings. Regardless, this is genius and one of the best uses of Facebook widget/marketing I've seen. College students will do anything for free food... hope they put a limit to how many coupons you can redeem.
Russ Dodd - 08/01/2009
Can't you just re-add your friends later? I'm suprised facebook agreed to this!
Nicola Lucas - 09/01/2009
That's horrible, why would you want to delete your friends? Unless you're one of those people who adds people who aren't really their friend in the fist place, which is just stupid.
NicV - 09/01/2009
Facebook must be desperate because this goes against alot of policies they have. I suppose desperate times....
James Ghani - 09/01/2009
Rather wish I had thought of this myself. Brilliant.
Michael Laws - 09/01/2009
I think some of these posts may be thinking about this too seriously - it is a light hearted fbook application for amusing yourself and your friends my pretending that a free burger is worth more than your friendship. in the same way you may buy and imaginary drink, chuck an imaginary pie or the plethora of other ludicrous things you can do to your friends on fbook. I think it's pretty innovative, be interested to know if it works
Anton Reyniers - 09/01/2009
I knew this was going to happen so I'm actually not one of the stupid people who just added people who weren't my friends. BURN BURN BURN...even if I'm not in the US and it doesn't work...BURN BURN BURN
Nicola Lucas - 09/01/2009
I don't get it, at all. Seems pointless.
Amod Munga - 09/01/2009
I think it's a great idea. Even if it doesn't appeal to you, there's something in it that makes you sit up and say "Wow" or at least "That's odd". But it doesn't leave you with any ill-feeling towards the brand. In isolation, this promotion is rather silly but if you place it next to all the other campaigns like the Meat Cologne and the Whopper Virgins, what you have is a campaign that's building conversation and goodwill towards the brand. Perhaps enough to keep you wondering "What will they do next?". And that means keeping Burger King top-of-mind...
Jane K - 09/01/2009
People could just delete those friends who might be interested in a free Whopper themselves... and then just re-ad them later - I think notifying friends is the aim of the game - everything should be as it was when the 'friendship' is re-activated.
Dario Sarcinella - 09/01/2009
Brilliant idea. The best way to ditch "unecessary" contacts with a good excuse.
Elson Júnior - 09/01/2009
is not valid in Brazil =/
NH - 09/01/2009
i accept you might not like it nicola, but surely you do 'get it'. don't you?
Daniel Farey-Jones - 09/01/2009
What if you got deleted by ten of your friends - surely you deserve a free Whopper in commiseration?
Nicola Lucas - 09/01/2009
I understand how it works I just don't get the point or why everyone likes it. It gets you a free burger, thats prob the only reason. It's just stupid, I don't get why you'd want to delete your friends.
Sam Barrett - 09/01/2009
And like it or not you're all talking about it on here, so the marketing through this medium is obviously working.....!!
Dukie - 09/01/2009
If it ends up here, dose any one wanna be my ex-friend????
TIm Rooke - 09/01/2009
I saw this yesterday and it grabbed my attention straight away. Really impressive concept and execution. Makes about 99% of the apps on facebook look completely amateur. Nicola, the tag line basically sends the message that you love whoppers more than your friends. Which is fantastic for the brand. Really don't understand why you don't get the premise. I did it and just deleted people I don't talk to any more. \(Old school friends etc) As a marketer, really annoys me that people like Nicola cant take anything with a pitch f salt.
Katerina Hubova - 09/01/2009
brilliant! facebook "friends" are made for this sort of campaigns, nicola
candace kuss - 12/01/2009
Kayla and all, fwiw they are promoting it via PR. Lot's of coverage, on & offline, in the mainstream \(non marketing) media
ormiston groove - 12/01/2009
How many FB friends have you got, Nicola?
Louis Sugiyama - 15/01/2009
I think the volume of chatter about this has proven its success, positive or negative slant inclusive. To me this is a brilliant idea that continues to place BK as the Pepsi of the fastfood burger chain playing field. Love the clever advertising they employ - anyone remember the "Whole lotta meat / I am man" Whopper campaign they ran a couplke of years back? Good times.