Moldy Whopper
Award: Black Pencil
Black Pencil / PR / Integrated Campaign / 2020
Award: Yellow Pencil
Yellow Pencil / Art Direction / Art Direction for Outdoor Advertising
Award: Yellow Pencil
Yellow Pencil / PR / Multi-Market Campaign
Award: Yellow Pencil
Yellow Pencil / Press & Outdoor / Press Advertising Campaigns
Award: Yellow Pencil
Yellow Pencil / Press & Outdoor / Poster Advertising Campaigns
Award: Graphite Pencil
Graphite Pencil / Integrated / Earned Media/Large Business (over 500 employees)
Award: Graphite Pencil
Graphite Pencil / Art Direction / Art Direction for Press Advertising
Award: Graphite Pencil
Graphite Pencil / Film Advertising / Social Commercials over 30 seconds
Award: Graphite Pencil
Graphite Pencil / Media / Use of Film
Award: Wood Pencil
Wood Pencil / Art Direction / Art Direction for Film Advertising
The food industry, particularly fast food, is full of additives. But over the last three years Burger King has removed 8,500 tons of artificial preservatives globally. To send an important message, it launched The Moldy Whopper, showing its iconic Whopper molding for up to 35 days. Burger King broke the mold with something unpredictable: mold. It might’ve gone against every convention, but it showed that mold could be a beautiful thing too.
What did the judges have to say?
It’s a brave thing to tamper with the product, to show how it would look at its worst, but this campaign showed that bravery pays. Not only did this totally pull the rug from under Burger King’s competition and land the ‘no preservatives’ message, it was a work of art and the talk of the earned media town all over the world. My only regret is that I wasn’t in the room when the idea was pitched to the client.
Ali Gee, Deputy CEO & Senior Partner, FleishmanHillard Fishburn
Burger King's Moldy Whopper caused lots of discussions, with a full spectrum of opinions. I fully support the bravery of it.
John McKelvey, Founder & Chief Creative officer, Mirimar Creative Group
Moldy Whopper is a true showstopper. It just sat there effortlessly, even smugly, with an edge on the competition. A beautifully simple idea and yet so brave and gutsy. No borrowed interest, no frills, no extended narrative, no need for talent endorsement, just a product message executed to perfection.
Paola Nicolaides, Senior Director, BCW London
It’s a disgustingly fabulous middle finger to their biggest competitor flying in the face of every rule of food advertising. It’s hard not to take notice.
Peter Hibberd, Executive Creative Director, Ogilvy Jakarta
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