On one side we have fake news: an alarming issue in Brazil, threating every layer of democracy, weekly in the topping headlines in the country, with several investigations being carried through in highest political forums and offices.

On the other side, real food: build awareness for the 'real food' platform, with the WHOPPER® being free of colors, flavors, and preservatives from artificial sources, one of the top priorities for the brand in the last couple of years.

With April Fool's coming up, the fake news issue exploding in the news and social media and Burger King eager to positively participate in important social and political matters, we sized the opportunity.

There was no actual brief for an April Fool's campaign, but an open opportunity to create ideas that could boost brand awareness and preference, mashing up relevant cultural and social themes with strategic objectives.

It was 100% our own idea.

On April Fool's Day, every year, the media has their eyes open on any interesting initiatives to report. Problem is everyone is becoming a bit tired of the usual opportunistic pranks, and we decided to take a totally different route.

Why not use April Fool's Day to raise awareness to the importance of receiving, reading and sharing truth?

Fake news was already getting major coverage and is an enemy of all political sides. We could bring the brand to those headlines, supporting this fight and connecting it to the 'real food' brand platform.

We would be the fast-food brand promoting the importance of truth in the age of fake news. Prizing consumers who act in this fight for real information, with a real WHOPPER®.

And we wouldn't be alone: Aos Fatos, one of the main independent news checking agencies in the country, joined in to present the campaign.

Insight:

On April Fool's, Burger King promotes the importance of truth.

Key Message:

Trade a Fake News for a Real Whopper®

Target audience:

Press, news checking community, fast-food consumers and population as a whole.

Creation and distribution of assets:

- Digital video presenting the campaign and promotion, presented on BK social media page on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter

- Press release announcing the partnership with Aos Fatos (news checking agency) and the promotion

- WhatsApp Bot, operationalized with Aos Fatos, to receive fake news reports from users and provide them in exchange with a free Whopper® coupon on orders with BK Delivery

The promotional campaign happened for 3 days:

- April Fool's Day 2022: campaign launch

- April 2nd, 2022: International Fact-Checking Day

- April 3rd, 2022: Brazilian National Day Against Fake News

Media activation was 100% focused on March 31st, one day prior to launch, activating several mainstream newspapers and portals.

The campaign followed with the online video announcing the initiative on BK Brazil social media channels: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, on April 1st.

The Aos Fatos WhatsApp bot was active in the three days of the campaign, distributing Whopper® coupons for everyone who sent any potential fake news for the news checking agency to analyze.

Confirmed fake news were them published by Aos Fatos in their social media channels, as they do on their day by day.

The campaign was very successful in leveraging awareness for fake news, reaching 10 million+ people and taking over the press with 100 articles by major news vehicles of national coverage reporting the imitative, ONLY IN 3 DAYS.

Every single one of the articles positively highlighted BK and Aos Fatos proposal, thoroughly explaining how everyone could take part.

With every article also being leveraged in social media by the press, the campaign took fast traction, gettering support from active organizations that fight against miss information, such as Sleeping Giants Brazil, promptly engaging and requesting their Whopper®'s from all their contribution in reporting fake news.

Aos Fatos registered an impressive increase of 1.389% in proactive fake news reporting on a single day, an all-time record for the news checking agency.

Over 1,3MM BRL in earned media was achieved, with +617MM spontaneous impressions.

In only three days, huge exposure for Burger King and a big strategic connection between the importance of real information and real food in the fast-food industry.