There’s been much ballyhooing in the last week over Burger King’s latest ad for it’s “Super Seven Incher” hamburger. With the hamburger sliding toward the red-lipsticked mouth of a blonde woman, the headline reads, “It’ll Blow Your Mind Away.” The small print continues with phrases that send the mind spiraling in the direction of sexual innuendo.

Most critics are in an uproar over the ad because of what they deem to be offensive subject matter – you’ll get no argument from me where that’s concerned. But, for the moment, let’s set sexual content aside and look at this through the crystal-clear lens of marketing.

What do companies hope to achieve with edgy advertising?

1) To create something that has enough of an impact to break through the clutter and put the company in the spotlight.

2) To get people buzzing about the ad and the company’s creativity.

3) To persuade people to buy the company’s product or service.

Right here is where most companies fall down. They put the most important priority – persuading customers to buy – at the bottom of the list.

Ego trumps Existence every time. And almost always fails.

The most successful marketers know it’s not about how creative and edgy you can be, but rather the highest and most efficient use of the company’s marketing dollar. When faced with what someone calls a “creative opportunity to brand your business,” take a deep breath, then ask yourself these questions:

- Who’s in control of our message – us, or the ad agency?

- Are we willing to commit to a long-term campaign of ads like this one, or is this just a wham-bam-thank-you-m’am, one-shot deal?

- Is this marketing vehicle consistent with our long-term core message?

- If we’re trying to reach out to a new market segment, are we sure they’re even the customers we want?

- Does this new market segment hold the potential to become loyal customers, or will they turn away from us when our competition comes out with an even edgier ad?

- What is this ad signaling to those who love us most, our repeat customers? What kind of effect will ads like this have on them?

If the honest answers to those questions convince you that you can maintain the precarious balance of Edgy and Core Message in a way that improves the long-term growth of your company, then go for it. I’d like nothing more than to witness your triumph.

Of course, I have yet to see an actual success, but who knows – maybe you’ll be the genius that makes business history.