‘Hacktervising’: Issues bonding buyers to brands

Posted by AFN Staff Writers on 29th July 2018

HACKTERVISING or hacking into trending cultural moments by non-traditional and often intrusive means has a stronghold when it comes to bonding consumers with brands.

It takes advantage of marketable societal aspirations as they surge toward “living with purpose” to address any current marquee social cause of global betterment, while and at the same time devices such as impact investing and social enterprise quickly grow.

Leading the hacktervising way in the US has been Burger King, which has had some hits and misses with its attempts but has ultimately, it says, created 30 billion social media impressions over the past four years.

Australian companies have been relatively timid to do date, although they are finding voice through issues such as same-sex marriage, environment and animal welfare.

Brands expected to support social issues

US studies show about 70 per cent of consumers now expect brands to support political and social causes that are important to them.

And so to Burger King which has just launched its latest social issue campaign in America.

Burger King launched “Chick Fries”, a Chicken Fries variant targeted at women that comes in a pink box and cost $3.09 versus the regular $1.69 for the menu item.

The stunt is the fast-food chain’s attempt to explain the “pink tax”, which refers to products marketed to women that usually cost more than those marketed to men.

Burger King released a YouTube video that shows women ordering Chicken Fries and being given “Chick Fries” and charged more.

The video captures their angry reactions and ends with a message encouraging support for the pink tax repeal and the website CallMyCongress.com.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rtHmSfYDbs

By showing how the Pink Tax works in a similar setting, Burger King is aiming to raise awareness about the potentially unfair price hikes that come attached to products marketed at women and send the message that it values quality equality.

The strategy risks negative reactions from consumers who don’t believe in the Pink Tax to begin with — the YouTube video is full of dislikes and angry comments to this tune — but might still earn Burger King positive earned media coverage.

Burger King has in recent years tried to inject more personality into its marketing and position its brand as being disruptive.

Here Campbells (Australia) has launched eight short videos in a series titled Committed to Local trying to bond with consumers by signalling its social virtues.