Burger King’s new spot, “Celebrities Don’t Rule the Menu,” is a humorous take on the fast-food landscape, positioning Burger King as a brand that puts the customer in charge.
The campaign, which lightly jabs at a competitor’s celebrity-driven meals, aims to highlight the brand’s “You Rule” campaign by showcasing the ability of everyday people to create their own personalized meals. It emphasizes a return to core brand values of customization and consumer choice.
Here’s what iSpot’s Creative Assessment platform revealed on actual viewer response to the :30 spot.
The Details:
- The :30 “Celebrities Don’t Rule the Menu” earned more positive response across all audience segments than the :15 cut, and developed stronger consumer intent, suggesting this creative be favored in forward media rotations:
- 72% of all viewers seeing the :30 “Celebrities Don’t Rule the Menu” reported increased consideration for Burger King as a result of seeing the spot vs 65% among those seeing the :15, and a QSR 90-day norm of 67%.
- Through 7/31/25, iSpot media measurement shows a favoring of two :15 “Celebrities Don’t Rule the Menu” creatives on linear with “Step Up to the Plate” leading brand Impressions (and showing signs of wear in-market). The new “Whoppers by You” campaign has been heavily favored on streaming over this period.
- 72% of all viewers seeing the :30 “Celebrities Don’t Rule the Menu” reported increased consideration for Burger King as a result of seeing the spot vs 65% among those seeing the :15, and a QSR 90-day norm of 67%.
- The :30 “Celebrities Don’t Rule the Menu” succeeded in delivering American consumers something new and different and centering the product itself as the main focus, with relatable humor that didn’t cross the line:
- The Yummy new BBQ Brisket product helped to spark an above-norm level of intent (but this was not seen among those seeing the :15 cut of this ad), with comments reflecting Love It response to the overall creative concept delivery. Consumers connected very well with the use of ‘regular’ everyday people used in the ads, the message that the customer can be in charge, and the BBQ Brisket Whopper visuals.
Sample comments on “Celebrities Don’t Rule the Menu” :30
“It made me hungry! I actually thought of going over or ordering, since the food looked pretty good when the people were eating it. The slow motion shots were really cool and I could see the burger clearly. I would maybe order it in the future.”
Female 16-20
“Wow, that looks absolutely delicious and I really enjoyed the ad and it did in fact make me very hungry. I’ve never actually tried the Barbecue Brisket Whopper so I gotta give that a shot.”
Male 36-49
“I think the ad was great. I was surprised that a Barbecue Beef Brisket Whopper existed, like where can I go get one? This is amazing and look how big that burger was. Like wow, I love this.”
Male 50+
“It did its job because it really made me hungry. The visuals and everything were really good. I knew exactly what they were advertising and what you were talking about.”
Female 50+
“I loved it. Imagine that, using real people instead of stars who obviously can’t get other work now except taking over the commercial world. Good job Burger King!”
Male 50+
“I liked how BK is moving forward on their “You Rule” slogan and showing their customers first. From “You Rule” and “Have it Your Way,” they are living up to their promise of great customer service.”
Female 36-49
“I don’t care about the content of the ad, but it made me laugh with its jab at McDs and that burger looks amazing.”
Female 36-49
“I thought the ad was alright. I like Burger King’s cool idea to let the customer make their own food creation at the fast food restaurant. That’s creative.”
Male 21-35
“Not only did they incorporate humor into their ad, but they showcased good products that looked like they were enjoyed by the consumer and looked appetizing.”
Female 21-35
“I like the ‘intro’ sound to BK commercials or the “You Rule” sound. It’s iconic to their brand and always catches my attention. And the concept of having burgers designed by customers is cool.”
Female 16-20
“I really like this commercial. I think it is very unique as it shows a different way and makes me think that Burger King really appreciates these customers.”
Male 36-49
“I think it’s cool to platform the customers instead of random celebrities. It makes a lot more sense.”
Female 21-35
- The best received creatives in the QSR category over the past 90 days outpaced the “Celebrities Don’t Rule the Menu” ads; however, the newest :30 outperformed the Burger King “Thrills and Grills” in driving intent:
- A profile of emotional connections made by the best received ads in the QSR category over the past 90 days (and including the two “Celebrities Don’t Rule the Menu” ads) indicates common themes of humor and Prodtastic food visuals that spark Love It reactions, with multiple brands conveying Value and Authenticity:
By showcasing the product itself with appealing visuals and reinforcing its “You Rule” slogan, Burger King successfully delivered a message that celebrated customer choice and personalization. This approach, while perhaps not the highest-performing in the category, proved more effective than other Burger King campaigns and cemented the brand’s commitment to its core values.
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Creative Agency: OKRP