By Taylor Morgan, Advertising Week
At Advertising Week Europe 2025, most brand sessions centered on scale, spend, and safe bets. Burger King UK, on the other hand, showed up with postpartum hunger, hospital room selfies, and an unapologetically human campaign that sparked a national debate.
In a candid behind-the-scenes session, Katie Evans, CMO of Burger King UK, pulled back the curtain on “Bundles of Joy”—a delivery-focused campaign that delivered far more than just Whoppers. It stirred emotions, ignited online discourse, and proved that authentic storytelling still cuts through.
The Brief Was Simple: Drive Delivery Awareness. The Execution Was Anything But.
The ask was straightforward: boost awareness of Burger King’s delivery service. But with no big-budget TV blitz, the team needed something that would land hard—and fast—across social and out-of-home.
BBH, Burger King’s longtime creative partner, pitched a nearly-forgotten insight: many new mothers experience intense hunger right after giving birth. And what they crave? A burger.
The idea had been floating around pre-pandemic, but now—with delivery services booming and cultural conversations around motherhood evolving—it felt like the right time.
What followed was a film and out-of-home campaign grounded in real stories, featuring raw, unfiltered images of women devouring burgers moments after labor.
“It wasn’t airbrushed. It wasn’t sanitized. It was real. And we wanted to honor that,” said Evans.
Partnering With Mumsnet for Real-World Insight
To ensure the concept wasn’t just a clever pitch but a truth women related to, Burger King partnered with Mumsnet to validate the craving narrative. Burgers topped the list, but sushi, buttery toast, and even fizzy drinks made appearances.
Still, it was the visual of a newborn in one arm and a Whopper in the other that felt both emotionally potent and culturally resonant.
“We didn’t want a glossy version of motherhood. We wanted the real, messy, joyful hunger of it,” Evans explained.
Risk, Trust, and the Challenger Brand Mindset
Burger King UK operates with a challenger mentality—not just in market position but in mindset. Limited budgets force the brand to lean harder into creative bravery and earned media impact.
“If we’re going to say something, we have to go all in,” Evans noted. “And we need a team—and a culture—that lets us do that.”
The brand’s internal mantra? “Go Whopper or go home.” That commitment to boldness is supported by long-term agency relationships and a senior leadership team that embraces risk when it’s rooted in real insight.
The Backlash Was Real. So Was the Conversation.
Once launched, the campaign quickly snowballed across LinkedIn, Instagram, and the press—generating over 100 pieces of earned media. From The Daily Mail to The New York Post, the coverage was both extensive and intensely opinionated.
Many praised the campaign for its honesty and resonance. Others—particularly on LinkedIn—questioned the brand’s message, the food choice, or the appropriateness of linking burgers to birth.
“We had strong opinions from midwives, mums, dads, and men who thought they knew what women should eat post-labor,” Evans said, with a diplomatic smile.
But instead of jumping into the fray, Burger King stayed silent.
“Once it’s out in the world, it’s not ours anymore,” she said. “It’s not our place to police how people feel about it.”
That restraint allowed the conversation to breathe—and perhaps deepened the campaign’s cultural credibility.
The Results: Awareness, Emotion, and Earned Brilliance
For a campaign with no traditional media spend, Bundles of Joy was a knockout. Beyond coverage and clicks, the real impact came from the emotional response and consumer storytelling.
“It made people feel something,” Evans said. “That’s what drives consideration. And for a challenger brand, consideration is everything.”
Lessons for Challenger Brands: Bravery, Focus, and Gut Checks
Evans left the audience with three takeaways:
- Creative Bravery Is a Muscle. Use it often, and it gets stronger.
- Insight Is the Foundation. When it’s real, the risk is worth it.
- Trust Your Gut. No ad testing tool would’ve predicted this kind of cultural resonance.
Looking Ahead: Advertising Without Product Shots?
With incoming HFSS regulations (limiting advertising of high-fat, salt, and sugar products), Burger King anticipates having to get even more creative.
“We may not be able to rely on the food shot or even the logo,” Evans said. “But that’s where creativity will thrive.”
Final Bite
“Bundles of Joy” wasn’t just a delivery ad. It was a cultural moment—a raw, celebratory portrait of motherhood that proved great brand work still starts with a bold idea, sharp insight, and the courage to let people talk.
Because sometimes, the best way to deliver a Whopper… is to start a conversation.
