In the ultimate example of an advertising campaign that's ripe for the internet, Burger King Holdings (NYSE: BKC) started selling Flame, a $3.99 perfume for men that smells like -- wait for it -- a flame-broiled hamburger. And an informal Boston Herald survey reveals that the scent of a burger appeals to some people.
Burger King, which sells Flame through Rickey's, a New York City retailer, and at firemeetsdesire.com, bills Flame as "a new men's body spray: the scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat." Unbelievably, some who have sniffed this concoction find it appealing.
Here are two favorable quotes from the Herald:
- Alyse Hawco, 14, said, "It smells like cinnamon. I'd buy it for my brother."
- Salami Caushi, 55, said, "It's very nice," and after spraying Flame on his wrist and then taking a long sniff, he remarked, "Yes, nice."
Not everyone agreed. Tony Rama, who was sitting near Caushi, strongly disagreed. "It's much too heavy." But a group of 20 year old men turned up their noses at the perfume -- until after their female companion said she liked it. Jaime, one of the young men, said "Yeah, I'd think about it. Do you think it'll make girls swarm?"
Do you think Flame is worth the price of a Whopper Value Meal? Will you buy it this holiday season? Have you tried it? What do you think?
If you like the idea of burger-scented perfume, you'll probably enjoy Dane Cook's famous Burger King routine:
Peter Cohan is president of Peter S. Cohan & Associates. He also teaches management at Babson College and edits The Cohan Letter. He has no financial interest in Burger King securities.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
12-17-2008 @ 8:26AM
FB said...
The creepiness factor on Burger King continues to grow.
12-17-2008 @ 8:45AM
Jennifer said...
Obviously Burger Stink needs to find way's to earn money...HAHAHA Mabye they should take lessons from real fast food places like Wendy's and McDonalds. A fast food joint selling pefume for men or even women that smells like hamburgers is just stupid!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What's next bubble bath that smells like french fries....Anybody who spends money on this is crazy even if it'd just for a joke-instead of throwing the 4 dollers away on junk donate it to a church or food drive were it will be used for something good....
12-17-2008 @ 8:56AM
Ron said...
Well, I see the spammers are up and at it already this morning. Been banned yet Brad?
The rest of you, if you want your computer loaded with viruses then go ahead and click on those links of supposed porn vids.
No, I don't want to smell like a flame-boiled burger.Wear that out to your local pick-up joint and the girls will think that you work at BK.
12-17-2008 @ 8:58AM
bette said...
You got to ber kidding. I have a ton of shopping to do and this wouldn't be on my list even for someone I hated.
12-17-2008 @ 9:06AM
Seenitall said...
You sure you don't mean a value menu Dude? ::giggle::
12-17-2008 @ 9:53AM
Ann said...
My father in law was just hre for vacation and wanted to know where there was a Burger King, everyday. We don't live near one, but that didn't stop us from finding him one, during our daily travels.
So, when we saw this on the news, I popped over to my computer and ordered five of them. It's expensive to ship, from Ricky's but.....they will be a BIG hit for the holidays.
We always give a gag gift to family members, along with a very nice one. My mother in law is getting "cat crap" eye glass cleaner, from REI. She'll love it!
A~
12-17-2008 @ 10:37AM
Michael said...
There was a report that women liked the smell of sweat. That's what I've always thought hamburgers smelled like. Now we have it, a cologne that smells like B.O. .
12-17-2008 @ 11:45AM
Yo said...
And...the spray is culturally correct!!! It smells like sushi at the BK's in Japan.
12-17-2008 @ 11:53AM
rocko said...
Obama likes and wears it, so buy it fools. You bought everything else he was selling ya! Dee De Deeeeee!
12-17-2008 @ 12:01PM
Chaz Martin said...
What's next, the lovely scent of fromunda cheese?
12-17-2008 @ 12:04PM
Mike said...
Way back in the 1970s, a humor magazine similar to MAD (Cracked or Crazy, not sure which) predicted a world food shortage, and that meat would become a valuable commodity. They predicted that women would be able to drive men wild "...with a perfume that smells like a hamburger." ESP anyone?
12-17-2008 @ 12:17PM
Otto said...
Booger King has obviously lost any sensible, logical or intelligent management or execs.
Don't believe me? Try that swiss/mushroom/lard burger.
The rocket scientist that thought that one up should be made to eat two of them.
12-17-2008 @ 12:36PM
Coffeejunkie891 said...
It sounds like it might attract more dogs than women. If you need a dog t warm up to you, I guess it would be worth the four bucks
Why do guys think putting on a ton of aftershave will make women swarm? When I was in high school, I couldn't breath sometimes because guys would spray on half a bottle of axe like it was an aphrodesiac. And it smelled horrible. Why not brush your hair once in a while, or better yet, take a shower, instead of drenching yourself in something tat smells like a skunk dippedin gasoline?!!!!
12-17-2008 @ 12:59PM
sperry said...
That is just nasty!
12-17-2008 @ 12:57PM
Robert said...
Hey Chaz, I would love a cologne that smelled like Latino ball sweat and underarm. Of course after a long day of landscaping!!
12-17-2008 @ 1:29PM
Bradley said...
OH, Great I'm going to go out and buy several bottles of BK perfume so I can give them out to certain people that I work with that refuses to shower//take a bath during the work week. That way they will smell like hamburgers instead of shit. Or smell like mixed burgers & shit
12-17-2008 @ 1:32PM
Joseph Guignon said...
Personally I think that Burger King has much better burgers than Mc Donalds at any time! I would rather eat a flame broiled burger than a soaking in its own fat.
12-17-2008 @ 1:35PM
sjw said...
Thats just stupid...
12-17-2008 @ 1:46PM
gia said...
Creating more crap that this planet does not need.
12-17-2008 @ 2:11PM
Barbara said...
Wouldn't it be cheaper just to rub the burger behind your ears before you eat it?