Burger King introduces its vegan Whopper in China and shows that the instruments and channels for addressing consumers are fundamentally different, but can be used by Western companies. A marketing lesson for a product launch in China.
By
Anne-Kathrin Velten
“New meat” for China – Burger King launched its vegan Whopper in 325 branches in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hangzhou at the end of 2020. The product launch was accompanied by a social media campaign that many Western companies can use as a lesson in how Chinese channels can be used successfully.
Burger King understood the customer’s core problem
First of all, when it launched Burger King proved that the company understood the core problem consumers face with meat alternatives. Vegetarian or vegan products from western suppliers are not new to China. Ikea already offers plant-based meatballs in its restaurants. First of all, the products appeal to Chinese preferences and habits. Because China has a long vegetarian tradition.
At the same time, meat substitute products have a very difficult time there. This has a lot to do with the Chinese thinking that meatless meals must be cheaper than meat dishes. A large part of the population still lives in simple circumstances in which meat is a specialty. This is a great challenge, especially for the local vegetable meat industry, and one of the main reasons why it has not really caught on up to now. The only solution: Either companies can achieve lower costs and set lower retail prices with their scale sizes than for meat products, or they can control customer expectations and offset high prices through niche marketing.
Chinese city dwellers are torn
The Chinese city dweller, which tends to be wealthier, is torn. He wants to live healthily and only uses the best ingredients. That speaks for a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. At the same time, the consumption of meat in China is a sign of prosperity. Meat means luxury, and the wealthier Chinese want luxury.
In its marketing, Burger King can rely on its cooperation with the Unilever subsidiary brand “The Vegetarian Butcher”. This produces the meatless alternative. Burger King is thus serving the desire of the Chinese middle class for high-quality and western products. European food producers are considered particularly safe in China and their consumption is a sign of prosperity.
Burger King also relies on the similarity to meat. The fast-food provider advertises with posters in the branches. On these, he compares the new and the original Whopper by appearance. In its campaign, Burger King clearly insisted that the Whopper is identical. The rolls, salad, and sauces are original, only the patty has been replaced. The company indirectly argues that the meat doesn’t bring the taste anyway.
Burger King and Ikea with different strategies
Burger King is taking a different path than Ikea was before. The taste of the vegetarian meatballs at the furniture store was previously heavily criticized in China.
Probably the biggest problem: They were served separately and so their own taste was in the foreground.
Unlike Ikea, Burger King also attaches great importance to being perceived as affordable fast food. Chinese consumers are considered to be frugal with smaller meals. In the big cities in particular there are numerous inexpensive food alternatives. At just under four US dollars, the Whopper is cheaper than most of the competition’s burgers. The pricing is based on the original Whopper.
For comparison: Ikea offered its vegetable balls 114 percent more expensive than the meatballs.
Burger King relies on influencers and social media
Unlike the Swedes, Burger King relied on influencers and the social network right from the start when it launched. The Chinese didn’t first find out about the new vegan product launch through posters or spots, but through so-called mukbangs. Mukbangs are an internet video trend from South Korea that is very popular across Asia. People online usually consume oversized portions of food and film themselves while doing so.
Buyers get original beef burgers for comparison
On the launch day of the burger, local vloggers with a reach of millions tested the product in exactly such food videos on Weibo, the largest Chinese social media platform for the younger generations. In doing so, they addressed a curious public with an affinity for food. In addition, the vloggers also shared a purchase URL via Alipay for Burger King’s introductory campaign: When customers buy a plant-based Whopper, customers receive an original beef burger for direct comparison.
In China, in particular, companies benefit from collaborations with vloggers when it comes to innovative products, as they tend to have a local following. In this way, brands can localize their campaign much more strongly and address the desired target group. Storytelling also works much better with vloggers.
Burger King made a good start in a challenging market according to the numbers. The nationwide introduction of the new Whopper in China is planned for the second quarter. In addition to the Burger King branches, the Whopper can also be ordered online from portals such as Eleme, Meituan, We Chat, and Alipay.
