Burger King's Hot Chili Collection Brings Extra Heat to the Middle East Summer

It’s well known that the temperatures can get quite extreme during the summer months across the Arabian Gulf countries. With a hot collection of sandwiches ready to be launched, Burger King wanted people to know that things could heat up even more.

In the ad, by Wunderman Thompson Dubai, the sandwiches of the Hot Chili Lovers collection are so hot that can raise the temperature just enough to trigger fire alarm systems. The ad also taps on the huge food culture in the Arab world, and how they will not let anything keep them from enjoying delicious meals.

The film is made entirely without the help CGI, so the water pumping from the pipes and flooding the floor was actually released inside a Burger King Restaurant in Dubai. The campaign is focused on the GCC market, mainly the UAE and KSA, trying to bring an unquestionable flavour to countries that are known for a diverse mix of cuisines and eating habits.

“Our biggest challenge was introducing a new chili collection in a market like the Middle East, well known for eating spicy food from a very young age. Every competitor has their own hot meal offerings, and we needed to break through the cluster.

Our angle was to look away from simply food. During summer, the temperature can get quite extreme, with averages above 40º C, and spikes over 50° C. The region goes under high fire alert because buildings and cars can spontaneously go ablaze.

That inspired us to create an unexpected situation, where a flaming hot burger triggers the fire alarm, flooding the Burger King restaurant for real.” - Tiago Bastos, creative director.

The campaign is already live, on different digital platforms, benefiting from the beginning of the (extremely) hot season as a hook.