In collaboration with anti-bullying charity Les Papillons, Burger King France subtly went gray across social media and restaurants. To visually represent the fact that one in 10 children in France is affected by bullying, Burger King and Les Papillons turned select items like tables, signs and even self-service kiosks gray by desaturating them. This concept was also carried to fast food packaging, with one in 10 burger wrappers, fry boxes and takeout bags presented in the somber hue.
Burger King says, "One gray object out of 10 is noticeable. One bullied child out of 10 is much harder to see." This initiative continues the chain's ongoing support of France's National Day Against School Bullying and Burger King France pledged to donate all profits from its King Junior menus sold in November to the nonprofit.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Grayscale Branding
- Burger King France used desaturated elements to visually represent the impact of bullying in a subtle yet striking way.
- Anti-bullying Initiatives
- The collaboration between Burger King France and Les Papillons highlights the importance of addressing bullying and supporting affected children.
- Cause-related Marketing
- Burger King France's commitment to donating profits from King Junior menus sold in November demonstrates the power of aligning business initiatives with charitable causes.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Food and Beverage
- The fast food industry can explore incorporating meaningful social messages into their branding and packaging, like Burger King France's gray color scheme.
- Charitable Organizations
- Anti-bullying charities, such as Les Papillons, have an opportunity to collaborate with businesses for impactful initiatives that raise awareness and support their cause.
- Marketing and Advertising
- The marketing industry can learn from Burger King France's successful cause-related marketing campaign which effectively engages consumers while supporting a charitable cause.
