Burger King Takes over Google Maps to Hand Out Discounts at Rival Restaurants

On March 15, during Consumer Week, Burger King® launched an unexpected stunt: the brand distributed exclusive discount coupons in a hyper-targeted, geolocated way, strategically placed in search results for competitor locations on Google Maps. Photos were taken and posted locally on the pages of over 1,000 competitor restaurants across 24 Brazilian states. This organic initiative took place on World Consumers' Day, one of the biggest retail dates in Brazil, aiming to grab consumers' attention and drive engagement.

The insight came from a simple fact: competitors tend to lead in Google searches. But this time, on Consumers' Day, people searching for competitors ended up finding a reason to choose Burger King® instead.

Whenever consumers searched for competitor restaurants on Google, they would come across exclusive BK® discount coupons embedded in the photos section of those locations on Google Maps—one of the most-used tools for deciding where to eat.

“The idea is quite simple: if you’re not the most searched brand on Google, aim to be the most purchased one," said Igor Puga, VP of marketing, Zamp.

The strategy was 100% organic, leveraging Google itself to spark engagement and conversation—using a free feature available to all users: Local Guides. The initiative reinforces Burger King®'s reputation for bold campaigns that cost less than the competition but create huge buzz and earned media impact.

The campaign was developed in partnership with Almap, the agency behind the activation and recognised as the most effective in the world by the Effie Index.

During Consumer Week, the message was clear: consumers might start their search looking for the competition, but they end up finding a reason to choose BK®.