Bask Bear Coffee has recently launched a provocative out-of-home (OOH) advertisement, positioning their burgers as superior to McDonald’s offerings. The ad, displayed above a McDonald’s location in Malaysia, has sparked varied responses online.
According to DATAXET, the billboard has been met with mixed reactions, receiving 41% positive feedback and 59% negative sentiments. Meltwater reported slightly different figures, noting 33.3% positive reactions and 66.7% neutral responses.
The advertisement showcases a Bask Bear beef burger against a white backdrop, accompanied by the text, “Bask Bear’s burgers are better,” attributed to a customer named Ronald. The name Ronald is notably similar to McDonald’s mascot, Ronald McDonald.
On social media, Bask Bear Coffee promoted the ad with the caption: “See what Ronald, a Bask Bear’s happy customer, had to say about our new burgers. Come over to Bask Bear and #TasteTheConfidence.”
DATAXET’s analysis reveals that 22% of netizens criticized the ad as “failed marketing,” mainly due to its resemblance to McDonald’s design elements, which led to confusion about the promotion’s origin. Despite this, 12% of netizens commended the campaign for its creativity, humor, and strategic placement. Some even humorously suggested that Ronald, the supposedly satisfied customer, might be linked to McDonald’s due to his surname.
Additionally, 20% of users praised Bask Bear Coffee’s food quality, noting the taste of its burgers and other menu items.
However, an equal percentage criticized the brand for issues related to service quality, food standards, and pricing.
A portion of the audience (13%) compared Bask Bear Coffee to other major brands such as McDonald’s, Jollibee, Burger King, Ramly, and Woodfire. A small segment (4%) called for penalties, reflecting the ad’s controversial nature.
DATAXET’s word cloud analysis highlights “iklan” (advertisement) as a central theme, indicating a significant focus on the marketing strategy. Positive keywords like “creative” and “genius” contrast with terms like “aggressive,” suggesting mixed feelings about the ad’s bold approach. The mention of “boycott” could imply negative associations, possibly related to broader boycott movements.
Meltwater’s analysis also noted associations with terms like “Ronald,” “good chuckle,” and “Israel.”
In addition to public reaction, the ad drew comments from Malaysia’s myBurgerLab. In a playful exchange, myBurgerLab questioned Bask Bear Coffee’s burger-making skills, with Bask Bear Coffee responding, “Let us think.” myBurgerLab suggested they could surpass the Ramly burger by using ingredients like margarine and Maggi MSG sauce.
myBurgerLab later agreed that diversity enriches the Malaysian burger scene, countering a user who urged against brand conflicts.
Other users expressed support for Bask Bear Coffee, praising the ad’s audacity and advocating for local brands to challenge global corporations like McDonald’s.