La Belle et La Bœuf, the celebrated Canadian restaurant chain known for its top-tier burgers and inventive cocktail creations, has introduced an unprecedented marketing campaign that has propelled one of its iconic burgers, the Captain Flam, into the depths of outer space.
In a groundbreaking collaboration with the renowned UK-based celestial exploration outfit, Sent into Space, and with enthusiastic sponsorship from the legendary brand Coors Light, La Belle et La Bœuf has unequivocally demonstrated that when it comes to marketing, there are no boundaries, not even the sky.
Marking a historic milestone, they’re now the first restaurant from Canada to launch a burger into space, soaring high, close to 120,000 feet, and landing safely back on the ground. As the burger floated in the cosmos, so did the essence of exploration and daring marketing tactics. La Belle et La Bœuf’s choice to send their celestial emissary, Captain Flam Burger, is nothing short of genius.
Known for their audacious marketing escapades that defy norms, La Belle et La Bœuf has outdone themselves this time by going beyond our planet’s boundaries. To celebrate this awe-inspiring milestone, La Belle et La Bœuf introduces the “Space Combo” – an exquisite duo of the scrumptious Captain Flam burger and the refreshing Coors Light Beer. Starting August 28th, 2023, burger aficionados can indulge in the cosmic delight that includes a combination of grilled beef patty, melted cheese, crispy bacon and special sauce that commemorates this historic achievement at all of their restaurants. Proceeds from the “Space Combo” throughout the month of September (purchased in the restaurant) will be contributed to Les Banques alimentaire du Québec.
“We’re very grateful to La Belle et La Bœuf for approaching us with this collaboration. The company’s generosity comes at a time when our provincial food aid network must respond to a record 2.2 million requests each month. I encourage restaurant customers to take advantage of this attractive offer, which will also help us support those in need.” Martin Munger, General Manager, Les Banques alimentaires du Québec.
“We are excited to take our burgers to new heights!” said Marketing Director Shabbir Chowdhury. “It is a great way for us to showcase our signature Captain Flam burger and demonstrate our commitment to creating unique and out-of-this-world campaigns”.
“This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will be documented through photos and videos taken from the weather balloon during its flight up into the sky. The video footage will also feature interviews and explain the six months of preparation it took our team” continues Chowdhury.
The Journey: How, How Long, and Why?
Ever wondered how they did it? The burger journeyed to space through the expertise of the UK’s Sent Into Space – employing a weather balloon to defy gravity itself. The campaign took over six months of preparation, the setup took a month in the UK and 3 hours in Montreal, followed by additional time for the space journey.
In order to make this happen, La Belle et La Boeuf teamed up with experts in aerospace technology and design who helped La Belle et La Boeuf get their mouthwatering burger safely off the ground. This ambitious mission was made possible by partnering with Sent Into Space, a private space company based in England that specializes in launching payloads into near space. After extensive preparation and testing, the team at Sent Into Space successfully launched the Captain Flam burger to its destination on Tuesday, August 15, 2023.
It took approximately 2-3 hours to inflate. Following that, the balloon ascended for about 1 hour and 40 minutes at 9:30 AM on Tuesday, August 15, 2023, and lingered in the stratosphere for a few minutes before bursting. Slowly, it began its descent back to Earth, marking the completion of an epic journey.
La Belle et La Boeuf is no stranger to creative marketing campaigns; from their FU** Cancer campaign to viral contests to the nuclear burgers, the burger bar chain sure knows how to create a reaction.
“At La Belle et La Boeuf, we believe that there are no boundaries when it comes to innovation and creativity. This project is a testament to our commitment to pushing the envelope and providing our customers with the ultimate burger experience,” says Marketing Vice-President Vlad Ciobanu.