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{Foreword} The following is Media Strategy for Burger King. The Media Strategy explains how messages are delivered to consumers. It involves identifying the characteristics of the target audience, who should receive messages, and defining the characteristics of the media. The analysis consists of the following sections, completed by the proceeding team member: ???Communications Objectives: ???Target Audience: ???Recommended Media & Rationale: ???Other Communications Tools to Be Used & Description : ???Continuity Recommendation: ???Gantt chart for 12 months: {Communications Objectives}
Building brand image and awareness using integrated marketing communications is Burger King’s top goal. Burger King will target this towards men aged from 18 to 35. Our communication objectives will be achieved through traditional advertising such as Television, and print to dominate campaign and digital/interactive media such as web sites, online campaign and banner advertisement. {Target Audience} Burger King’s target audience is males, aged 18 to 35 who eat fast-food 9 to 16 times per month. While they are just 18% of Burger King’s customers, they account for about half of all visits to the stores.
From the Market Facts Summary we know Burger Kings segments include: ???Segment one: Tweens who keep up with the latest fashion and music trends for their age group. ???Segment two: Blue collar workers who live very busy lifestyles, balancing children and possibly more than one job. They look for quick and convenient meals in their hectic lives. ???Segment three: Lower and middle class families with children. ???Segment four: Young adults busy with school and work, such as college students. ???Segment five: Individuals who have a passion for fast food.
Burger King refers to these individuals as “SuperFans”, “an audience with an unapologetic love of fast food. They are defined by the way they seek convenience, their desire for value and the frequency with which they visit quick-service restaurants ??? about three times more than the typical consumer (Burger King )”. These are tech-savvy young men between the ages of 18-34. Burger King’s Consumer: “I am 24 year old male blue-collared worker. I usually make home-cooked dinners with my girlfriend, but for lunch I usually grab a quick meal with the guys from work when we have about 15-20 minutes for a break.
I love to eat food that is warm, quick, and in big portions. I am manly guy and I love to watch ESPN and play Xbox. ” {Recommended Media & Rationale } Radio: Most Burger King restaurants have drive thru windows. Having advertisements on the radio will encourage consumers to purchase food from the drive thru windows because they are in their cars already. Out-of-home: Burger King is a quick service restaurant that is convenient for people who are traveling. Consumers who are on the highway will be encouraged to partake in Burger King if they see a billboard for it.
Billboards serve as an “opportune purchase reminder” (Professor Cline’s lecture 5/29/08). Internet: Advertising online is an effective media outlet to attract the target audience of Burger King, tech-savvy manly males between the ages of 18 and 34. Burger King put short videos on the internet of the ‘Whopper Freak-out’ to attract their target audience. Burger King representatives state that the online documentary-style video for the campaign was viewed by 1. 5 million people in its first month . TV: Burger King started showing ‘The King’ commercials a couple of years ago, these were highly original commercials.
The focus was on the dude with the gargantuan plastic head, bejeweled crown, and burgundy robes . “The King” commercials boosted sales dramatically for Burger King. Burger King posted a healthy same-store-sales gain of 5. 4% in its fiscal third quarter, well ahead of even McDonald’s, which reported a comparatively anemic 2. 9%. No. 3 burger chain Wendy’s, now in the throes of an ownership change, saw same-store sales fall 1. 6% at company-run stores in the same period . Television commercials are a great tool to capture a large audience. Other Communications Tools to be Used & Descriptions} Public Relations: Currently, Burger King is in partnership with the Public Relations Firm Coltrin & Associates. They utilize executive leadership and communication teams to convey the vision, strategy, and consumer messaging in a highly visible and credible way. Burger King will work with this PR firm to always promote the Burger King image and to help with the media if legal or controversial issues arise. Shows/Exhibits: Burger King sometimes uses in-store exhibits to attract a diverse crowd.
For example, a Burger King in Kayenta has a Navajo Code Talkers Display which illustrated the Navajos ability to code tactical messages in World War II. Exhibits such as this will hopefully get new customers or stimulate old customers to come back. Personal Selling: Burger King uses personal selling when consumers purchase food at their locations whether it be in the drive-thru or in-store. Asking questions, for instance, if customers would like to try a new featured item or add French fries or onion rings to their order engages the consumer in personal selling.
The consumer wanted to make a purchase and Burger King made a sale using personal communications. Promotions: Promotions such as the recent Indiana Jones movie include posters around their store, on their website and include a “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” toy in the kid’s meals. The partnership promotion is to get consumers excited about both entities, Burger King and the Indiana Jones movie. Additionally, Burger King named a sandwich “The Indy Whopper” in honor of the Indiana Jones movie. Then, product placement was used and the Indy Whopper actually appeared in the Indiana Jones Movie.
Direct Marketing: Burger King is coming out with flame-broiled burger-flavored chips. It is an alternative to the fries and ketchup but is not in the direction of a healthy-alternative like many of the other fast-food chains are doing. It is a direct marketing campaign to get children attached to the BK brand name. Burger King wants to reach out to the younger generation to get them hooked on BK from a young age and this is a new strategy to do just that. Point of Purchase: Burger King uses its BK Value Menu as a point of purchase strategy.
With eight different items to choose from (varies) for only one dollar each urges consumers add on another item as they are checking out. Many Burger Kings feature the value menu right next to cash registers to spark that point or purchase behavior. Events: Burger King sponsored a NASCAR car and does events with their driver, Bill Elliot, to highlight Burger Kings and NASCAR at the same time. Elements of the events promotion include a specially designed No. 00 paint scheme, in-store activities and driver appearances. There are five races Burger King is going to sponsor in Chicago, New Hampshire, Indianapolis, California, and Miami.
This will target a large audience and get consumers excited about the race and Burger Kings products. Others: Burger King makes a large part of its marketing campaign based on “The King. ” Burger King has created the plastics masks in bulk for people to wear during Halloween. Including him in video games and other media channels has created a following or cult of sorts. Burger King should capitalize on this idolization of the King and start hosting events with him. {Continuity Recommendation} Burger King follows a pulsing schedule of advertising. They run tons of promotions during the year but not necessarily continually.
For instance, the promotion with Indiana Jones and the Indy Whopper only lasts for a certain time period before the movie comes out and when it is in theatres. Afterwards, Burger King goes back to continual marketing campaigns with “Have it your way and “The King”. Various promotions make Burger Kings Continuity run on a pulsing schedule. {Gantt chart for 12 months} Recommended: Gantt Chart JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember Media TV Cable Print Magazine Newspaper Out-of-home Radio Internet Communications PR Promotions Direct Mktg P of P Works Cited “Burger King and the Saga of the ‘Trademark’ Chips. BloggingStocks. 3 June 2008 <http://www. bloggingstocks. com/2007/07/27/burger-king-and-the-saga-of-the-trademark-chips/>. “Burger King Corporation Selects Strategic Public Relations Firm to Drive Corporate Communications Initiatives. ” HispanicBusiness. Com. 3 June 2008 <http://www. hispanicbusiness. com/news/2003/4/21/burger_king_corporation_selects_strategic_public. htm>. “Burger King Discusses New Items for 2008, Growth Strategies. ” Herald Tribune. 27 Feb. 2008. 03 June 2008 <http://www. iht. com/articles/ap/2008/02/27/business/NA-FIN-COM-US-Burger-King-Outlook. php>. “Burger King to Sponsor NASCAR Car. South Florida Business Journal. 17 Mar. 2006. 3 June 2008 <http://southflorida. bizjournals. com/southflorida/stories/2006/03/13/daily48. html>. “Code Talkers Exhibit, Burger King. ” Rockwell. 3 June 2008 <http://www. kenrockwell. com/200210/1622. htm>. “Company History. ” Burger King Worldwide. 28 May 2008 <http://www. burgerking. ca/en/1122/index. php>. Fass, Allison. “A Kingdom Seeks Magic. ” MSNBC (2006). 3 June 2008 <http://www. msnbc. msn. com/id/15209706/>. Sainz, Adrian. “Fast-Food Giants Propsed New Menu Items are Diverse, Even Angry. ” Ocala. Com. 3 June 2008