There's $30 Million Behind The Burger King Whopper Memes

Know that little Whopper jingle that's been getting lots of air time lately? Or all those memes commenting on a little Burger King ditty (complete with its own remix edition) that people just can't get out of their head? The timing is no coincidence: it's all part of a big rebrand going on at the fast food chain. 

Patrick Doyle is on a mission to turn the iconic company around. Doyle is a veteran in the field, having shaken things up at Domino's Pizza, where he grew Domino's share of the pizza market by more than a sliver. He was chosen as Executive Chairman of Restaurant Brands International in November 2022, and is poised to deliver more of the same for the brands under his wing, including Popeye's, Tim Horton's, Firehouse Subs, and the Home of the Whopper, itself. 

One of the most promising elements of this new collaboration is Doyle's enthusiasm and commitment. He recognizes that Burger King has some work to do to revitalize and revamp its image, saying that BK, "need[s] to increase franchisee profitability and the cash-on-cash returns of developing these restaurants ... [And] need[s] to concentrate on our assets and service speed ... However, we do have the Whopper" (per Yahoo! Finance).

Patrick Doyle's new Burger King campaign is called "Reclaim the Flame" and aims to reignite enthusiasm for the burger brand, starting from the bold icon. Keeping the Whopper front and center is an essential part of Doyle's approach to resurrecting the brand, starting from what he sees as the franchise's greatest product to offer. What's especially remarkable is that Doyle is so sold on Burger King's beef that he's putting his own money on the line. A cool $30 million of Doyle's cold hard assets are going toward the campaign over the next five years — out of his own pocket (via Yahoo! Finance). 

Many are hopeful, but cautiously optimistic, about what Doyle can do to improve profit margins. Burger King's sales increased only 5.3%, compared to McDonald's 10.3%, in the 4th quarter of last year, according to Bolly Inside. Understandably, investors will need some time before they can assess Doyle's progress. But if social media is any indication, the chain's latest jingle is a viral hit, piggy-backing on America's most televised programming on its way to becoming an ear worm. "Whopper, Whopper, Whopper, Whopper ..." — we know, you know the rest.