Burger King's New Slogan Rules

A slogan can make or break a fast food brand, and Burger King has always been a top-three contender. While McDonald's "i'm lovin' it" signaled the brand's 21st-century direction upon its 2003 debut, Burger King's indelible "Have It Your Way" has always had a timeless quality to it—because the one thing fast food customers want more than anything is to customize their orders. Since 1974, "Have It Your Way" has informed the brand's ethos, but now Burger King is putting a new royal spin on it with a punny new tagline: You Rule. 

Burger King rolled out a splashy new song with a surprisingly catchy bass drum beat (as seen above) to herald the new slogan. As noted in a press release provided to The Takeout, it's all part of the fast food chain's $400 million "Reclaim the Flame" initiative, a two-year plan aimed at restoring Burger King to its full glory and kickstarting sales.

Reclaim the Flame has two branches: "Fuel the Flame," which encompasses a $150 million investment in advertising and digital, and "Royal Reset," a $250 million plan to redesign restaurants and invest in kitchen tech. We have to admit, the rollout succeeds at feeling big and momentous, and the choice of slogan feels somewhat immune to mockery. Short, sweet, and a nod to a nostalgia-drenched past—can't argue with any of that.

"'You Rule' is about celebrating everyday royalty and puts the Guest at the forefront of everything the brand does," reads an email sent by Burger King to The Takeout, which added that the commercials are the "emotional articulation" of the "have it your way" approach.

What do you all think? Of course any new slogan is a grab for the spotlight, so we can't fault Burger King for that one. What I want to know is, do you feel more incentivized to go to Burger King knowing that the chain is currently very, very focused on winning you back? Or do you recoil from brands that come on too strong? Either way, I know I won't be mad when this ad comes up while I'm watching TV.