Burger King’s “Scary Clown Night” (2017)
A Masterclass in Halloween Marketing
Burger King’s “Scary Clown Night” campaign in 2017 is widely regarded as one of the most successful Halloween marketing campaigns ever, cleverly combining cultural trends and playful rivalry. The campaign targeted McDonald’s by playing on the cultural fear of clowns, which was intensified by the release of the horror movie It around the same time. Burger King’s message, “Come as a clown, eat like a king,” was a direct jab at McDonald’s iconic mascot, Ronald McDonald.
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The Concept: A Dig at McDonalds
The concept was simple yet effective: Burger King offered free Whoppers to anyone who showed up dressed as a clown at participating restaurants on Halloween night. This promotion took place in more than 30 countries, including the U.S., U.K., and Spain, and involved over 1,500 Burger King locations. The eerie, horror-movie-inspired advertisement showed clowns chasing a young man, enhancing the creepy vibe associated with clowns and tying it to Halloween.
The campaign was a massive success, garnering significant media attention and social media buzz. The hashtag #ScaryClownNight spread across platforms as people shared their clown costumes, and the campaign helped boost foot traffic, with thousands of clowns visiting Burger King locations globally.
The campaign’s playful rivalry with McDonald’s and the viral nature of its content contributed to Burger King’s image as a bold, creative brand unafraid to poke fun at its competition.
The campaign’s success lay in its clever timing, cultural relevance, and engagement with both digital and in-person audiences, making it a marketing case study on how to effectively mix humour, competition, and Halloween fun into a successful brand strategy.
