We don’t usually advise clients to waste time in media interviews bashing the competition. Reporters like it but it doesn’t benefit your cause to have your one and only quote about “them” instead of your message.
Not so in advertising and certain aspects of social media. The mobile phone companies joust about each other in ads all the time, car companies will compare each other by name. Now it’s burger wars.
After McDonald’s dropped its Angus Third Pounders, Andy Puzder, CEO of CKE Restaurants, owners of Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. took to YouTube with a folksy burger-eating smack down touting his burgers and offering coupons to McDonald’s loyalists to try his product.
Usually we say to CEO’s trying to be cute to stick to their day job. Yet for Puzder, Youtube is part of day job. He’s actually pretty good in the spot, but not quite as funny as the “Where’s the Beef?” campaign starring Clara Peller, that Wendy’s ran in the 1980s and 1990s. Nevertheless, Puzder and his two chains are getting coverage in the business and marketing press.
It’s not the hottest trend on twitter but Black Angus beef is getting some pick-up.
CommCore thinks this is a clever way to make some news and attract attention to a brand. Let’s see if it results in brand recognition and increased sales.