From “Home of the Whopper” to “Home of the Satisfries,” Burger King has changed their brand name “temporarily,” from Burger King to Fries King, and created some negative social media buzz. The fast food chain tweeted the following:
“And you thought we were bluffing. Long live the #FriesKing!”
According to Ad Week, consumers expressed their confusion of the chain’s new name on Twitter and other social media sites.
“Can’t tell if it’s true or not but did Burger King really change their name to Fries King…? I don’t… what?”
“So Burger King is now called Fries King? Why would they change their name??”
Consequently, both #Satisfries and #WTFF (“What the French Fry”) became trending topics on Twitter.
Seizing on USA TODAY’s recent report that these new “Satisfries” are in fact healthier than other fast food restaurants with “40% less fat and 30% fewer calories than McDonald’s,” Burger King decided to differentiate its fries with a larger, waffled, crisp cut fry.
According to manufacturer Lane Weston, Size matters. When it comes to french fries, the physical size of the cut style has a definite effect on the amount of oil that is used to cook it. A serving of thinner cuts absorbs more oil than a serving of thicker cuts and therefore has more calories and fat!
The questionable name change is not only stirring up confusion for customers, it is unclear whether or not this marketing strategy was the right choice for Burger King. Why change the brand name?
Bloomberg TV reports that French fries have a gross profit margin of 75%, with 10% in revenues for Burger King, 4.5% for McDonald’s, with its greater number of product offerings. “It’s easier to get customers to buy fries than order a bigger sandwich.”
The Business Insider reflects on this “rebrand,” as nothing more than a marketing stunt. It’s been met with a collective eye-roll from savvy consumers who remember Pizza Huts 2008 “name change” to Pasta Hut!
While Satisfries have received a lot of press, Burger King customers are less excited about the chain’s apparent name change to Fries King. Twitter and Facebook users have responded with skepticism. “‘Burger King’ is a well known family name,” says one Facebook user. “That is what most people loved and remember about this franchise. Please keep it original!”