From the Badvertising Files: Crispin Porter, king of gimmicks, asks you to watch TV for Whoppers

Outgoing Burger King agency Crispin Porter Bogusky's last campaign for the grease hut is so very crispinporter (adj., "gimmicky"; "Saw XXII was so crispinporter, I had trouble suspending disbelief long enough to vomit into my popcorn"): They're asking people to watch DirecTV's Channel 111, which shows nothing but a rotating Whopper 24/7. If you can watch for five minutes straight, pressing buttons like a lab rat on cue to prove your eyes are on the screen at all times, you get a coupon for a free Whopper. Keep watching, keep earning free Whoppers.

I often feel like Crispin Porter creates these campaigns purely as promotion-by-proxy efforts to generate publicity, and not to actually drive product sales or enhance brand value. Because behaviorally, stunts like this make you associate the product with unpleasant experiences. You may do it for the free Whopper, but it probably makes you less likely to buy a Whopper ever again.

Especially after you've tasted the Whopper.

Posted via email from OriginalSpin