Burger King is Always Changing

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By: Janet Kalandranis

There’s something to be said for brands that are constantly evolving. Change is good; it keeps customers interested and it helps the brand stay relevant within a time frame. Everyone loves change. That is, unless, there’s too much of it. If a brand is constantly updating, constantly changing, customers can’t keep up. Then change becomes confusing, not useful and ultimately turns the customer away from the brand. So how much change is too much?

Creating change for change’s sake is not useful strategy. Brands must have a reason and understanding of what change is needed and why. Sometimes it’s as simple as “If it works, don’t change it.” Other times it’s more complex, with brands going through a deep analysis to understand that change is needed. This is usually a time when a brand notices a drop in sales, a drop in engagement, or even a drop in overall satisfaction with the brand. Taking this information and analyzing why provides the impetus for some sort of change — much needed and appreciated by customers.

Then there are brands that think change is a strategy. Burger King is at it again with the search for new ideas and ones it wants to own. This is only a year after the brand hired its new agency, which again was for a change. It seems that the brand has not found a successful strategy that works long-term and ultimately thinks more change will be the path to success. But with a list of ever-changing partners and ideas that are only half developed, these changes are proving just the opposite. Burger King’s declining market share seems to be the answer — customers aren’t buying the change and there’s no guarantee that more change will reverse the effect.

As a brand it’s important to understand how delicate the relationship with customers can be. Change can be good, but it can also be too much. Most importantly these decisions need to be backed by data, need to be tested, and ultimately need to be thought out in the minds of the target. Or else change can be the reason customers don’t come back.