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Burger chains join rapper feud in bid to beef up brands

BURGER chains have weighed in on a hip-hop beef on Twitter, and the jury’s out on whether their approach is savvy or just strange. Should corporate brands stop trying to be cool?

Dana McCauley and amp; AP
2 min read
August 5, 2015 - 6:10PM
SAN RAFAEL, CA - JULY 27: A sign is posted in front of a Burger King restaurant on July 27, 2015 in San Rafael, California. Burger King parent company Restaurant Brands International reported a 7.9 percent increase in second quarter sales at Burger King restaurants in the United States and Canada with revenue of $1.04 billion. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==
SAN RAFAEL, CA - JULY 27: A sign is posted in front of a Burger King restaurant on July 27, 2015 in San Rafael, California. Burger King parent company Restaurant Brands International reported a 7.9 percent increase in second quarter sales at Burger King restaurants in the United States and Canada with revenue of $1.04 billion. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

BURGER King and two of its rivals have jumped into a beef between rappers in a bid to get their buns on more Twitter followers — but brand experts are divided on whether the approach has merit.

It’s the latest example of corporate brands riding on the coat-tails of a celebrity spat or trending topic that seemingly bears no relevance to their business.

The hip hop beef between rival artists Drake and Meek Mill had just started to sizzle when Burger King, White Castle and Whataburger jumped into the conversation.

“All these burgers and they still got beef,” Burger King wrote on Twitter, along with a photo of its signature Whopper.

“Meek Mill take it from us — if you gonna serve beef serve it high quality,” rival chain Whataburger weighed in.

Then While Castle jumped on the bandwagon, tweeting: “It’s ok, @MeekMill. Maybe beef isn’t your thing. #ChickenRings @Drake”.

Much of the corporate commentary on the feud was heavily retweeted and shared on Instagram and Facebook.

But marketing experts were divided on whether getting involved with pop culture squabbles made for effective branding.

“It has to do with using cultural events to engage more (potential) customers,” said Robert Passikoff, founder of brand research consultancy Brand Keys.

But, he said, “there isn’t a whole lot of evidence that shows it equates to more sales.”

Frank Arthofer, a principal at The Boston Consulting Group, said companies that didn’t engage people in non-traditional ways risked falling behind.

“Branded content creates a competitive advantage,” Mr Arthofer said.

His research suggested companies that could be quick and clever when the opportunity presented itself stood to gain, because timely and creative tweets engaged millenials and built consumers’ trust.

Whether you find the burger chains’ flurry of tweets clever or cynical, the approach is becoming increasingly common as brands seek to engage with social media users.

One unimpressed commentator has started a Twitter account to document examples perceived to cross the line.

Just as dad jokes provoke scorn among in-the-know teenagers, @BrandsSayingBae pokes fun at corporate Twitter accounts judged to be overly familiar, trend-obsessed and just trying too hard — as, of course, is anyone over the age of 25 who uses the abbreviation “bae”.

Umami Burger, which responded to Drake’s onstage kiss with Madonna at Coachella with a meme proclaiming its burgers were #betterthanmouthwash, is a prime example.

Pizza Hut, whose response to Caitlin Jenner’s emotional introduction to the world was perceived by some as insensitive and cynical.

And not to forget Juicy Fruit, who quickly clued onto the trending term #dadbod (which refers to a man who is soft around the middle, yet strangely attractive).

For those who have not been following the rappers’ feud, it all began on July 21 when Meek Mill took to Twitter to accuse Drake of using a ghostwriter on his verse for their collaboration R.I.C.O. on Mill’s recent album.

In response, Drake released the dis tracks Charged Up and Back to Back, with the latter claiming that Mill was riding the coat-tails of Nicki Minaj, Mill’s on-again-off-again girlfriend and Drake’s label mate and long-time collaborator.

Mill then released a song of his own aimed at Drake, Wanna Know, but music fans and companies were unimpressed.

Then on Sunday, Drake showed up at the OVO Fest in Toronto, Cananda wearing a “Free Meek Mill” shirt, a nod to the rapper’s time spent behind bars last year.

He then went on stage to perform against a backdrop of fan memes — including those featuring Nicki Minaj — and it sparking a torrent of social media commentary by fans and burger joints alike.

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/burger-chains-join-rapper-feud-in-bid-to-beef-up-brands/news-story/21bc13b0f1688984d291b4b9932181b9