What 3 Million Custom Whoppers Taught Burger King 🍔

CREATIVE REVIEW #18

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CREATIVE REVIEW #18 〰️

THE BRIEF:

Burger King Uses AI + $1MM to Make Customization a Cultural Moment

With the Million Dollar Whopper contest, Burger King flipped personalization into participation. By letting fans design their dream Whopper via AI—and dangling a $1M prize—they didn’t just boost app downloads, they made “Have It Your Way” feel relevant again.

🔑 Why It Worked

• AI with purpose: Not just a stunt—used to drive real interaction and user creation.

• Mass personalization at scale: Turned custom burgers into content.

• Reframed brand DNA: “Have it Your Way” got a digital-age glow-up.

📲 Digital Strategy

• App-first CTA: Personalization lived inside the BK app, driving direct traffic.

• Contest framework: $1M prize added FOMO and urgency.

• UGC meets food porn: Social-worthy Whoppers fueled online buzz.

🍔 Product Hook: YOUnique Whoppers

• 3 million+ custom burgers created

• AI-assisted flavor dreams became real contenders

• Finalists included bold, regional flavor profiles that turned fans into featured creators:

  • Fried Pickle Ranch Whopper (Fabian, CA): Creamy pickle ranch, fried pickles, bacon, Swiss

  • Maple Bourbon BBQ Whopper (Calvin, CA): Maple BBQ, candied bacon, crispy onions & jalapeños

  • Mexican Street Corn Whopper (Kelsie, NE): Street corn spread, spicy queso, tortilla crisps

📊 Results

• 1.3M new app signups

• 36% increase in digital visits

• 3M customized Whoppers generated

• Shortlisted across multiple Effies categories: AI, Digital, Commerce, Performance

💡 Brand Takeaways

• AI works best when it invites, not replaces

• Customization creates ownership—and cravings

• Big ideas don’t need big media spend when fans are the distribution

Final Word:

Burger King didn’t just enter the AI chat—it served it. With a prize, a platform, and flavor freedom, the brand turned an old-school burger into a co-created cultural event.

Credits:

Agency: Monks (Toronto), BarkleyOKRP (Chicago)

Client: Burger King (Miami)

Global CMO: Pat O’Toole

Executive Creative Directors: JoRoan Lazaro, Sanya Grujicic

Creative Directors: Rhys Davelaar, Laurens Martens

Group Creative Director: Jeffrey Limon

Design Director: Marcelo Quinzio

Senior Copywriters: Lydia Pawlowsky, Ryan Hanson

Senior Producer: Amy Wong

Senior Director, Technology & AI: Samuel Snider-Held

SVP, Data Science & Machine Learning: Scott Yacko