Burger King Sweeps Brings Apprentice Task to Consumers
Burger King Corp. is taking fans of NBC’s The Apprentice from the boardroom to the lunchroom through a new online sweepstakes, which offers the top winner two American Airlines tickets to a destination of their choice.
The QSR is giving consumers a chance to experience an online version of last Thursday’s Apprentice task. The challenge? Create a new sandwich and design a campaign to market the new product. Calvin Harris, head chef at Burger King Corp., leads consumers through the challenge at BK.com with interactive messages. Participants who complete each task, which includes “filling” an order in a 30-second time slot, also receive online messages from Burger King executives.
Consumers can opt to participate in the challenge or skip directly to the sweepstakes drawing. The “A3” sweepstakes will award one grand-prize winner a gift certificate worth $4,000 to book a vacation package for two with American Airlines. The sweepstakes runs through Feb. 7 and is open to consumers 18 and older. The winner will be selected in a random drawing on Feb. 22.
Online and in-store materials support the sweepstakes. American Airlines and Coca-Cola are sweepstakes sponsors.
Russ Klein, chief global marketing officer of Burger King, said the sweepstakes encourages brand involvement and give consumers a way to “assert their own culinary and marketing expertise.” The sweepstakes lets consumers become better connected to the company’s motto, “Have It Your Way,” he said.
“We really wanted to try to elevate the event and make it a 360 degree experience,” Klein said. “We like to add as many dimensions to any brand as we can.
Burger King Corp. is running the sweepstakes in 8,000 restaurants nationwide.
Apprentice creative and executive producer Mark Burnett approached Burger King executives with the idea to feature the QSR on the show, Klein said.
“We thought the Burger King/Apprentice marriage was a great one,” he said. “Millions of people over the years have worked at a Burger King. We thought it would be a very relatable story.”
In the last week’s premiere show, Apprentice contestants were charged with running a Burger King franchise during the launch of a new sandwich. Teams also had to devise a marketing stunt around the new sandwich and drive customer traffic to their franchise. The show’s street-smart team, “Networth” won the task.
Burger King Corp. had a challenge of its very own to meet after the show’s airing, Klein said. The QSR had to prepare for its quickest launch of a new product—the winning Apprentice burger. For a limited time, fans of the Apprentice can buy the winning sandwich, the Western Angus Steak Burger, for $3.49 through Feb. 4 or until supplies last.
