Burger King: Love Conquers All

Burger King: Love Conquers All. To celebrate Helsinki Pride Week, Burger King turned its usual adversarial relationship with McDonald’s into a passionate and loving one.

Love is the answer, people.

Burger King has made its adversarial relationship with McDonald’s the core of its advertising message. Yet, the Home of the Whopper was keen to put it all aside to celebrate Helsinki Pride Week.

The painting, “Love Conquers All,” was commissioned by Burger King and unveiled in outdoor and print advertising, and in Burger King’s restaurants around Finland. It shows the two iconic mascots – Ronald and the King – kissing each other passionately. Helsinki Pride Week is typically celebrated during the last week of June but has been pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The kiss campaign was developed by the Burger King Finland team in a creative partnership with TBWA\Helsinki and Virta Helsinki. Per a statement from Burger King Finland, the painting is meant to serve as a celebration of love in all of its forms.

“Burger King has always stood for equality, love and everyone’s right to be just the way they are,” Burger King Finland brand manager Kaisa Kasila said in the statement. “The only instance where it might not seem so is when we’re bantering with our competitor.”

“We thought, what a better way to convey our values than by portraying an all-encompassing kiss between Burger King and McDonald. We wanted to show that in the end, love always wins,” Kasila continued. “And we know McDonald’s stands for the values we stand for, too.”

For several years now, Burger King has sponsored a series of Pride events in multiple countries, including the United States, Brazil, Spain, and the U.K. This year, Burger King Finland is the official partner of Helsinki Pride.

“Our brand is always bold, edgy, and fun. So showcasing this ‘impossible kiss’ is a way to demonstrate that love conquers all. And we hope that ‘the other guys’ understand that it is actually a celebration of love rather than a competitive statement,” Machado added.