Due to strict laws, reportedly around 13,000km of the German motorway network is ad-free. So to convince truckers in Germany to buy freshly grilled Whoppers, Burger King and agency Grabarz & Partner create ads that only truckers can see. The ads sit on the roof of multiple cars that take turns overtaking trucks.
The cars do not just show an ad. They run a sequence of messages that feels like a conversation from the road:
- “Hey, you up there!”
- “You look hungry!”
- “Why don’t you try out the Whopper?”
- “Fresh and flame grilled”
Once the first few cars get the truckers’ attention, the remainder guides them to the next Burger King, turning the motorway into a moving funnel:
- “If yes, then wink”
- “Follow me to Burger King”
As a result, many truckers give in to temptation and follow the cars to the next XXL Burger King Drive-In.
The constraint that forces the creativity
The starting point is the limitation. Large parts of the German motorway network are ad-free, so the classic roadside billboard play is unavailable at scale.
The execution is “roof media” plus choreography
Burger King turns overtaking cars into a media surface and a delivery system. Roof placements ensure the message is visible from the truck cab. A rotating set of cars keeps the sequence going long enough to land.
The craft is the choreography. It is not one clever line. It is a paced interaction that escalates from attention, to appetite, to direction.
Why this works as shopper marketing in motion
This is direct response built into a live environment. The target is already in a vehicle. The call-to-action is a drive-in. The next best action is physically nearby, and the message literally leads the way.
It also respects context. Truckers are not asked to scan, click, or search. They are asked to notice, react, then follow.
What to steal
- Start with a hard constraint and treat it as a design brief, not a blocker.
- Use a format the audience cannot ignore in their context, in this case overhead visibility from a cab.
- Build a sequence that moves from attention to action, not a single punchline.
A few fast answers before you act
What is “Truckvertising” in one line?
Car-roof ads overtake trucks on ad-free motorways, deliver messages to truckers, then guide them to the next Burger King drive-in.
Why put the ad on the roof?
Because the goal is visibility from the truck cab.
What is the conversion mechanic?
A staged sequence of overtaking cars that gets attention, then provides directions to the next Burger King.
What is the underlying business aim?
To drive immediate, local store visits and Whopper purchase intent from a high-propensity audience in transit.
