Ditch 10 Facebook friends, get a free sandwich. Good marketing strategy?

[Sir Jam]

In the last month, the Burger King folks have drawn the attention and ire of the blogosphere—and generated a boatload of free press—for their catchy, if somewhat bizarre, advertising tactics. And they've just done it again. (Yes, we're begrudgingly complicit.)

First, BK came out with a "meat-scented cologne" called Flame that, alas, smelled nothing like meat. Then there was the controversial TV ad campaign in which Whoppers and Big Macs were taken to far-flung corners of the planet and given to wide-eyed denizens to taste test. Guess which burger won.

Now, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, the advertising firm behind BK's campaigns, has created a Facebook application called "Whopper Sacrifice." How does it work? Drop 10 friends from the social networking site in exchange for a free Whopper coupon. (The rejected friends then get a message telling them they've been sacrificed for a sandwich.)

Is it wise to promote a product by attracting one customer while potentially alienating 10 others?



"It's all meant as tongue-in-cheek," said Tia Lang, director of media and interactive for Burger King. "I mean, if I had 300 friends, there are probably 10 or so people I'm not so close with. But overwhelmingly, we see people getting the joke."

Unless you were one of the 198,850 unwitting victims tossed into the flame-broiled abyss as of Monday evening. As I was.

Well done, Burger King. You have simultaneously crushed my ego and valued the worth of my friendship, nay, ex-friendship, as one-tenth the cost of a Whopper.

[mega-mom]

boy! you've thought a lot about this, huh?

[DarkWamba]

ooh,I Wish this promotion was also in Italy...
Seriously, if I was sacrificed for an hamburger by someone, I would be happy to not having him in my friend-list...With FB people do the mistake to account as friend people seen half a time,maybe drunk...

Instead of blaming BK promotion,use it at your advantage...

On FB search the Whopper Sacrifice Network, a group of people who add themselves as friends,only for the sacrifice...

Enjoy your many free Burger King Whopper or throw them on your ex-friends..

[Dinar]

Well, it certainly lets you know who are your friends, doesn't it? While the marketing strategy leaves a lot to be desired, I don't think it's BK's "fault" on how your friend had reacted. If he had been a real friend, then he would NOT have 'dumped' you for a burger. The fact that he/she DID means that the person is not worth your time, right? Sure, it hurts like Hell that you're only worth 1/10 of a burger but better to know this now rather than when you wanted to rely on him/her for something really important! A true friend would never have done so. The ones who did, well - good riddance.

As for BK ... well, you either boycott their products, or do what was suggested by DarkWamba. Personally, I'd do what he said. Not only do I get a free burger, I didn't have to sacrifice any friends to do so.