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Forget tariffs. Let\u2019s talk about a far more vicious global trade war: The Burger Wars.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They\u2019ve been raging for decades, and the only casualties (beyond the cows, that is) have been society\u2019s collective waistline and, occasionally, ad agencies\u2019 good sense.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Every burger brand has brought different weapons to the fight, and their arsenals have evolved significantly over time. Here\u2019s your Burger Wars retrospective, courtesy of the AdLand archives. (Cue the Ken Burns music.)<\/p>\n
Burger King – Make It Special for My Girl (1980) :30 (USA)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nOnce upon a time, burger advertising was simpler. Wholesome, even. The year was 1980, and the surprisingly touching brand message was brought to you by Burger King.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
https:\/\/adland.tv\/burger-king-make-it-special-my-girl-1980-30-usa\/<\/u><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\nOver the next three decades, something\u2014changed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
BK \/ Burger King – The King’s Gone Crazy – (2010) :40<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nThe BK King, birthed by CP+B in 2004, was always unsettling. Eventually he went downright mad.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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https:\/\/adland.tv\/bk-burger-king-kings-gone-crazy-2010-40\/<\/u><\/a><\/p>\nJack in the Box – Declaration of Delicious (2016) :30 (USA)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nAmid the chaos wrought by the rise of BK\u2019s creepy royalty, it\u2019s little wonder that Jack in the Box chose to stick with its comparatively sane leadership for so long.<\/p>\n
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https:\/\/adland.tv\/jack-box-declaration-delicious-2016-30-usa\/<\/u><\/a><\/p>\nWendy’s – Where’s the Beef x2 – Supervisor & Question – (1984) :60 (USA)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nAnd then there was Wendy\u2019s\u2014a quieter burger combatant, whose greatest weapon was always pointing out the shortcomings of others. In 1984, the brand asked an important question:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
https:\/\/adland.tv\/wendys-iceberg-2018-30-usa\/<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n(I guess there\u2019s something to be said for playing the long game, given that Wendy\u2019s at last surpassed Burger King in per-store sales in 2023<\/u><\/a>.)\u00a0<\/p>\nHardee’s – Spicy Paris (2005) 0:30 (USA)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nMeanwhile, every war has a wild card\u2014a nothing-to-lose kamikaze-style fighter whose actual damage pales in comparison to the fear they strike in the hearts of their enemies. In the Burger Wars, that\u2019s always been Hardee\u2019s\u2026<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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https:\/\/adland.tv\/hardees-spicy-paris-2005-030-usa\/<\/u><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\nCarl’s Jr – Bikini – Audrina Patridge \/ Teriyaki Burger – (2009) :30<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nExcept, of course, when it was Carl\u2019s Jr.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
https:\/\/adland.tv\/carls-jr-bikini-audrina-patridge-teriyaki-burger-2009-30\/<\/u><\/a><\/p>\nCarl’s Jr “Natural Beauties” (2015) :30 (USA)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nBut surely sex only sells for so long? Not according to Carl\u2019s Jr., who eventually took the concept of food porn to a new level.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
https:\/\/adland.tv\/carls-jr-natural-beauties-2015-30-usa\/<\/u><\/a><\/p>\nMcDonald’s – Lonely Burger (2006) 0:30 (Canada)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nAnd where, then, was the undisputed champion in all of this? Surely the never-truly-threatened dominance of McDonald\u2019s was built on a foundation of never-wavering advertising wins?<\/p>\n
Well, they weren\u2019t all winners. Some were just\u2014sad, really.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Over the next three decades, something\u2014changed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
BK \/ Burger King – The King’s Gone Crazy – (2010) :40<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nThe BK King, birthed by CP+B in 2004, was always unsettling. Eventually he went downright mad.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
https:\/\/adland.tv\/bk-burger-king-kings-gone-crazy-2010-40\/<\/u><\/a><\/p>\nJack in the Box – Declaration of Delicious (2016) :30 (USA)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nAmid the chaos wrought by the rise of BK\u2019s creepy royalty, it\u2019s little wonder that Jack in the Box chose to stick with its comparatively sane leadership for so long.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
https:\/\/adland.tv\/jack-box-declaration-delicious-2016-30-usa\/<\/u><\/a><\/p>\nWendy’s – Where’s the Beef x2 – Supervisor & Question – (1984) :60 (USA)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nAnd then there was Wendy\u2019s\u2014a quieter burger combatant, whose greatest weapon was always pointing out the shortcomings of others. In 1984, the brand asked an important question:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
https:\/\/adland.tv\/wendys-iceberg-2018-30-usa\/<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n(I guess there\u2019s something to be said for playing the long game, given that Wendy\u2019s at last surpassed Burger King in per-store sales in 2023<\/u><\/a>.)\u00a0<\/p>\nHardee’s – Spicy Paris (2005) 0:30 (USA)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nMeanwhile, every war has a wild card\u2014a nothing-to-lose kamikaze-style fighter whose actual damage pales in comparison to the fear they strike in the hearts of their enemies. In the Burger Wars, that\u2019s always been Hardee\u2019s\u2026<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
https:\/\/adland.tv\/hardees-spicy-paris-2005-030-usa\/<\/u><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\nCarl’s Jr – Bikini – Audrina Patridge \/ Teriyaki Burger – (2009) :30<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nExcept, of course, when it was Carl\u2019s Jr.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
https:\/\/adland.tv\/carls-jr-bikini-audrina-patridge-teriyaki-burger-2009-30\/<\/u><\/a><\/p>\nCarl’s Jr “Natural Beauties” (2015) :30 (USA)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nBut surely sex only sells for so long? Not according to Carl\u2019s Jr., who eventually took the concept of food porn to a new level.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
https:\/\/adland.tv\/carls-jr-natural-beauties-2015-30-usa\/<\/u><\/a><\/p>\nMcDonald’s – Lonely Burger (2006) 0:30 (Canada)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nAnd where, then, was the undisputed champion in all of this? Surely the never-truly-threatened dominance of McDonald\u2019s was built on a foundation of never-wavering advertising wins?<\/p>\n
Well, they weren\u2019t all winners. Some were just\u2014sad, really.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Jack in the Box – Declaration of Delicious (2016) :30 (USA)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nAmid the chaos wrought by the rise of BK\u2019s creepy royalty, it\u2019s little wonder that Jack in the Box chose to stick with its comparatively sane leadership for so long.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
https:\/\/adland.tv\/jack-box-declaration-delicious-2016-30-usa\/<\/u><\/a><\/p>\nWendy’s – Where’s the Beef x2 – Supervisor & Question – (1984) :60 (USA)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nAnd then there was Wendy\u2019s\u2014a quieter burger combatant, whose greatest weapon was always pointing out the shortcomings of others. In 1984, the brand asked an important question:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
https:\/\/adland.tv\/wendys-iceberg-2018-30-usa\/<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n(I guess there\u2019s something to be said for playing the long game, given that Wendy\u2019s at last surpassed Burger King in per-store sales in 2023<\/u><\/a>.)\u00a0<\/p>\nHardee’s – Spicy Paris (2005) 0:30 (USA)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nMeanwhile, every war has a wild card\u2014a nothing-to-lose kamikaze-style fighter whose actual damage pales in comparison to the fear they strike in the hearts of their enemies. In the Burger Wars, that\u2019s always been Hardee\u2019s\u2026<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
https:\/\/adland.tv\/hardees-spicy-paris-2005-030-usa\/<\/u><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\nCarl’s Jr – Bikini – Audrina Patridge \/ Teriyaki Burger – (2009) :30<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nExcept, of course, when it was Carl\u2019s Jr.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
https:\/\/adland.tv\/carls-jr-bikini-audrina-patridge-teriyaki-burger-2009-30\/<\/u><\/a><\/p>\nCarl’s Jr “Natural Beauties” (2015) :30 (USA)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nBut surely sex only sells for so long? Not according to Carl\u2019s Jr., who eventually took the concept of food porn to a new level.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
https:\/\/adland.tv\/carls-jr-natural-beauties-2015-30-usa\/<\/u><\/a><\/p>\nMcDonald’s – Lonely Burger (2006) 0:30 (Canada)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nAnd where, then, was the undisputed champion in all of this? Surely the never-truly-threatened dominance of McDonald\u2019s was built on a foundation of never-wavering advertising wins?<\/p>\n
Well, they weren\u2019t all winners. Some were just\u2014sad, really.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Wendy’s – Where’s the Beef x2 – Supervisor & Question – (1984) :60 (USA)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nAnd then there was Wendy\u2019s\u2014a quieter burger combatant, whose greatest weapon was always pointing out the shortcomings of others. In 1984, the brand asked an important question:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
https:\/\/adland.tv\/wendys-iceberg-2018-30-usa\/<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n(I guess there\u2019s something to be said for playing the long game, given that Wendy\u2019s at last surpassed Burger King in per-store sales in 2023<\/u><\/a>.)\u00a0<\/p>\nHardee’s – Spicy Paris (2005) 0:30 (USA)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nMeanwhile, every war has a wild card\u2014a nothing-to-lose kamikaze-style fighter whose actual damage pales in comparison to the fear they strike in the hearts of their enemies. In the Burger Wars, that\u2019s always been Hardee\u2019s\u2026<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
https:\/\/adland.tv\/hardees-spicy-paris-2005-030-usa\/<\/u><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\nCarl’s Jr – Bikini – Audrina Patridge \/ Teriyaki Burger – (2009) :30<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nExcept, of course, when it was Carl\u2019s Jr.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
https:\/\/adland.tv\/carls-jr-bikini-audrina-patridge-teriyaki-burger-2009-30\/<\/u><\/a><\/p>\nCarl’s Jr “Natural Beauties” (2015) :30 (USA)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nBut surely sex only sells for so long? Not according to Carl\u2019s Jr., who eventually took the concept of food porn to a new level.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
https:\/\/adland.tv\/carls-jr-natural-beauties-2015-30-usa\/<\/u><\/a><\/p>\nMcDonald’s – Lonely Burger (2006) 0:30 (Canada)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nAnd where, then, was the undisputed champion in all of this? Surely the never-truly-threatened dominance of McDonald\u2019s was built on a foundation of never-wavering advertising wins?<\/p>\n
Well, they weren\u2019t all winners. Some were just\u2014sad, really.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
(I guess there\u2019s something to be said for playing the long game, given that Wendy\u2019s at last surpassed Burger King in per-store sales in 2023<\/u><\/a>.)\u00a0<\/p>\n Meanwhile, every war has a wild card\u2014a nothing-to-lose kamikaze-style fighter whose actual damage pales in comparison to the fear they strike in the hearts of their enemies. In the Burger Wars, that\u2019s always been Hardee\u2019s\u2026<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n https:\/\/adland.tv\/hardees-spicy-paris-2005-030-usa\/<\/u><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n Except, of course, when it was Carl\u2019s Jr.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n https:\/\/adland.tv\/carls-jr-bikini-audrina-patridge-teriyaki-burger-2009-30\/<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n But surely sex only sells for so long? Not according to Carl\u2019s Jr., who eventually took the concept of food porn to a new level.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n https:\/\/adland.tv\/carls-jr-natural-beauties-2015-30-usa\/<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n And where, then, was the undisputed champion in all of this? Surely the never-truly-threatened dominance of McDonald\u2019s was built on a foundation of never-wavering advertising wins?<\/p>\n Well, they weren\u2019t all winners. Some were just\u2014sad, really.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\nHardee’s – Spicy Paris (2005) 0:30 (USA)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
Carl’s Jr – Bikini – Audrina Patridge \/ Teriyaki Burger – (2009) :30<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
Carl’s Jr “Natural Beauties” (2015) :30 (USA)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
McDonald’s – Lonely Burger (2006) 0:30 (Canada)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n