# Playful Brand Rivalries The McDonald's vs Burger King Strategy is Quite Entertaining for Consumers By Kalin Ned | Published 2019-07-24 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-vs-burger-king References: [designtaxi](https://designtaxi.com/news/405619/McDonald-s-Set-Up-Banner-To-Diss-Burger-King-So-BK-Returned-The-Favor-Next-Door/) & [facebook](https://www.facebook.com/356832571379423/photos/a.370185506710796/824724257923583/?type=3) [McDonald's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/burger-ads) vs [Burger King](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/burger-king-loveinspired-ads) is an age-old question for individuals who enjoy fast food. The two restaurants, however, take this uncertainty to a whole new level with a tongue-in-cheek marketing strategy that continuously pits the brands against one another. One of the more recent examples of the McDonald's vs Burger King tactic is in Belgium. The golden arches [QSR](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/real-size-campaign) launched a sizable billboard that asked the question "Served by a king, or served as a king?," alluring people to come in and try the fast food joint's table service. Meanwhile, Burger King responds to the remark with an adjacent message that reads "Why try to roast when you can't even flame grill?," boldly poking fun at the rival's cooking methodology. The stunt is sure to capture the attention of passers-by. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.0/10 - Popularity: 79% | Activity: 94% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Gen Alpha, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Branding](https://www.trendhunter.com/branding) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Brand Rivalries:** Brands can leverage playful rivalries to create a buzz around their products and services and attract consumer attention. - **Tongue-in-cheek Marketing:** Brands can use humor and sarcasm in their advertising to establish a relatable and entertaining tone, which can help foster deeper connections with consumers. - **Interactive Billboards:** Brands can use interactive billboards to engage consumers and create memorable experiences that can leave a lasting impression on potential customers. ### Where This Applies - **Fast Food:** Fast-food chains can use playful brand rivalries and interactive advertising to differentiate themselves in a crowded market and appeal to consumers looking for entertaining dining experiences. - **Marketing and Advertising:** Marketing and advertising agencies can use playful brand rivalries and tongue-in-cheek marketing to help their clients stand out and increase brand awareness. - **Outdoor Advertising:** Outdoor advertising companies can leverage interactive billboards and other innovative technologies to create engaging advertising campaigns that resonate with consumers. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Comical Love-Inspired Food Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/burger-king-loveinspired-ads.md) - [Burger Ad Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/burger-kings-new-campaign.md) - [Gamer-Centric Fast Food Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/burger-to-king.md) - [AI-Created Burger Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/burger-ads.md) - [Playful QSR Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-campaign-1.md) - [Street Burger Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/street-fighter-menu.md) - [QSR Burger Chain Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/whopper-island.md) - [QSR Menu Billboard Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/real-size-campaign.md) - [Flame-Grilled Billboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/flame-grilled-billboard.md)