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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 2 of 2)
12-17-2008 @ 2:32PM
Dave said...
I'll have mine with onions and pickles!
12-18-2008 @ 10:24AM
dwight said...
One liners
Good way to get the dog to play with you.
Wheres the beef ?
The call of the wild
Burgers getting losers laid for 40 years
12-18-2008 @ 11:20AM
Kenny said...
12-17-2008 @ 1:46PM
gia said...
Creating more crap that this planet does not need
Who gets to decide exactly "what the world needs?"
You don't need hamburger-scented perfume, I don't need hamburger-scented perfume...so what? People are buying it. Liberals need to quit "deciding" for the rest of us who needs what, who has too much of what, and demanding that people spend their money where it will be used for "something good."
Forced charity is not charity...it's taxes.
Wake up...
12-18-2008 @ 5:46PM
giz said...
i havent eaten at bk since the vidio of the dude taking a bath in the back room. their ads are kinda creepy too.
12-21-2008 @ 11:00AM
Larry said...
Finally, a reason to like Burger King. If we wear it, do we call ourselves "flamers"?
Read my review of "Flame" at http://cakeblast.com/news/smell-the-flame-broiled-goodness/
12-23-2008 @ 10:18AM
daughterearth35 said...
BK does not sell any meal for $3.99 where I live or anywhere I've been, and who are the idiots who buy this crap??? P.T. BARNUM had it right, there is a sucker born every minute! The fact that anyone would spend money on this proves it! BK is the worst of the worst. Flame broiled is code for never cleaning the grill! eewww!
12-23-2008 @ 12:49PM
Nick said...
I'm not anti-gay, nor prejudiced in any way. That said, BK seems to be targeting gay males in their current advertising approach. Gay males are, unfortunately for BK, a small niche market, and whether we support their rights or not, their lifestyle and tastes generally creep out the rest of us.
12-23-2008 @ 12:51PM
Nick said...
Oh! I get it. Flamer broiled!
12-23-2008 @ 1:03PM
Ihavenolife1962 said...
Sounds Like a low cost national advertising campaign. It may smell good, it may smell bad, but everybody will be talking about it.
12-31-2008 @ 11:08AM
parkmuscl said...
Notice the name of the 55 year old that says "It's very nice"????... his name is SALAMI.. go ahead, read it again..its right there in the story !!!! too funny !
1-02-2009 @ 4:44PM
Katie Puckrik Smells said...
Check out my youtube vid to find out what Burger King's Flame REALLY smells like.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMXglHpoUJI
or go to Katiepuckriksmells dot com
1-09-2009 @ 8:35PM
Jules said...
I saw the commercial and thought this was absolutely funny. I bought it for my husband for Christmas. So - it IS funny, but yup, it's just more crap the world doesn't need. Who cares? He laughed. It also stinks to high heaven but my mother thinks it really smells like meat. What does she know - she dresses like Santa every single day between Thanksgiving and Christmas!