If Election Day Making You a Nervous Wreck, See This Burger King Ad Promoting McDonald’s

Advertising is a cutthroat business where you fight tooth and nail for every breadcrumb of market share.

For decades, two of the biggest combatants have been McDonald’s and Burger King. It’s the marketing equivalent of UFC. These warriors make the battle between Democrats and Republicans feel like kundelini yoga.

So, what did Burger King in the UK decide to do this week? They ran an ad for McDonald’s.

Under the headline, “Order from McDonald’s,” the company released a short message that is blowing up on the internet.

“We never thought we’d be asking you to do this,” the message starts. “Just like we never thought we’d be encouraging you to order from KFC, Subway, Domino’s Pizza, Pizza Hut, Five Guys, Greggs, Taco Bell, Papa John’s, Leon…or any of the other food outlets, too numerous to mention here.”

I felt my arteries clog up just writing all those names, but that’s not the point. The point is: Why did Burger King do it? Because, the message continues, “restaurants employing thousands of staff really need your support at the moment.”

If we ever needed another reminder of the times we are living in, this is as poignant as it gets: Cutthroat competitors helping each other out.

If we ever needed another reminder of the times we are living in, this is as poignant as it gets.

The last phrase is my favorite: “Getting a Whopper is always best, but getting a Big Mac is also not such a bad thing.”

It adds a touch of realism while keeping everything in perspective. It says, “Sure, we’d much prefer if you ordered our product, but we’re cool if you pick our competitor.” In other words, if you choose the other guy, it won’t be the end of the world.

We know, we never thought we’d be saying this either. pic.twitter.com/cVRMSLSDq6

— Burger King (@BurgerKingUK) November 2, 2020

With all the press attention Burger King is sure to get from its unusual gesture, it’s easy to be cynical and call it just another brilliant marketing maneuver. Maybe it is. But even then, the underlying idea is just as powerful: We’re living in uniquely painful times that demand uniquely compassionate thinking.

We’re living in uniquely painful times that demand uniquely compassionate thinking.

Maybe it’s divine coincidence that Burger King’s altruistic message showed up on a day when our nation is in a state of ultra-high anxiety, when years of tension and division are climaxing in an epic presidential Judgement Day.

A fast food chain is reminding our country that if our fellow Americans choose whomever we consider the “other guy,” it will be bad, even very bad, but it won’t be the end of the world.

No matter how cutthroat we may appear to be, we’re still in this together.