If you see tempers flaring at Burger Kings across Canada, that’s because in August the fast-food chain reintroduced the Angry Whopper.

Word of the splenetic sandwich’s return was spread through a national campaign developed by Toronto-based Taxi 2, including TV, radio and banner ads, as well as a microsite at Burgerking.ca/getangry. The creative, which plays on the idea that when you eat the spicy burger, angry thoughts invade your mind, is Taxi 2’s first on behalf of BK since they began working together in March. Taxi Montreal adapted all material for the Quebec market, and Initiative Media handled the media buy.

Adding limited-time premium burger offerings like the Angry Whopper to the regular menu works to balance out a value strategy that the QSR brand has emphasized over the last year. It’s based on the King Deal value menu, which features a different sandwich combo special every day of the week that offers customers good portions at a low price – $1.99 to be exact.

‘We need to make sure that we are communicating a strong product offering on both ends because the customers, especially these days, expect you to have both,’ explains Jason Keown, senior director of marketing, Burger King Canada.

The strategy has been working. According to the NPD Group, between May 2008 and 2009 Burger King’s volume of dollars went up by 11%, and within the QSR burger segment, which grew overall by 5%, the restaurant’s share of dollars increased by 0.5%. From January to March, value menu occasions at BK increased by 6%, compared to the regular menu, which remained relatively flat.

As such, Burger King plans on stepping up its value messaging. It recently launched a national coupon program and, on top of keeping King Deal prevalent at point of purchase, it intends to further lace it into its national media buys.

‘From a strategic perspective we’re very happy with how that value offering resonates with our customer,’ says Keown. ‘We just need to make sure that they’re aware of it.’