The Brief:

When purchasing a Mystery Burger, customers don't know what they're getting until they open the box—and that's part of the fun. To match the eccentricity of the product, Burger King knew they needed an equally quirky ad campaign. The goal was to expose their target customers (Gen Zs and millennials in particular) to the limited-time promotion. They also hoped to increase awareness of the offer and drive sales with effective and memorable creative.

The Solution:

The campaign was a great fit for young Spotify listeners, especially considering how much they like to explore the different sides of themselves (and, of course, their unique tastes). Spotify's most recent Culture Next report shows that 69% of listeners in France (and 80% in the U.S.) like it when brands are able to connect with varying parts of their personalities.¹

To tap into their distinctive musical preferences, Burger King created a microsite that analyzed listeners' favorite music and paired them with one of the twelve burger options. Not only did the microsite scan each user's Spotify account to identify their tastes, but it also offered a personalized playlist to go along with the associated burger.

To play up the mystery aspect of the promotion, Burger King leveraged both audio ads and contextually relevant, multi-format display and video ads showcasing nondescript food packaging and question marks. The campaign targeted key audiences including Foodies, Gen Zs, Millennials, and Gamers. Because Gen Zs and Millennials are all about self-expression—Spotify's report also found that 58% of Gen Zs in France (and 69% in the U.S.) own products that allow them to explore different sides of themselves²—the campaign really struck a positive note.

The Impact:

The Burger King advertising campaign was a standout success, resonating especially well with Gen Z and Millennial audiences. The multi-format campaign consistently delivered above-benchmark results, with listeners significantly more likely to associate Burger King with the Mystery Burger promotion. The campaign also improved ad recall and campaign awareness among listeners.

The Takeaway:

For brands hoping to harness that elusive je ne sais quoi, a comprehensive campaign complete with a microsite can create standout results. Multi-format campaigns with a mix of audio, display, and video ads can work especially well for brands intent on boosting brand association and recall. And finally, adding a touch of personalization piques young listeners' attention—especially if you demonstrate that you truly "get" their tastes.

Feeling inspired? Reach out to the Spotify Ads team or get started on your next campaign right away using our self-serve ad platform, Ad Studio.