Does the smell of a good hamburger make you salivate? Did you know you can have this scent around you all day long, simply by wearing it as a perfume? 

The idea may sound strange, if not disgusting, yet the famous American fast-food chain Burger King (BK) actually launched its own fragrance, called Flame, last December in the US. Flame was a huge success – all the bottles were sold out in just four days! BK is now launching the burger fragrance in the UK. “Flame by BK” is defined as "the scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat". 

Over the past year, Burger King has been trying to position its brand as more premium compared to its competitors such as McDonald’s. In June 2008 in the UK, the company launched a promotion offering a limited edition of burgers priced at £95, containing high-quality ingredients. By entering the world of fragrances, BK is demonstrating its willingness to further develop its image as a “luxury” brand.

 However, the recent English advertising campaign doesn’t feature a famous actor or a glamorous model, but rather Piers Morgan. Morgan is a well-known British tabloid newspapers editor, a television presenter, and a judge on Britain’s “Got Talent”. As you can see, this ad campaign for BK fragrance is not consistent with traditional perfume communication and marketing strategies.

Furthermore, the price of the fragrance does not position it as premium. Flame is sold in 5mL bottles for $3.99 (£2.65), and the points of sale are mainly gadget and gift shops.

So, the question arises, is the BK brand really trying to go hi-end, or are they just creating a buzz?

It would seem BK’s release of Flame is more about creating a buzz and increasing brand awareness. In other words, Flame is both strategic and silly at the same time. It remains to be seen whether the UK launch will be as successful as the one in the US, and if it is, it can likely be attributed to Burger King’s sense of humor rather than the scent of its fragrance.