This month, Accelerant Research set out to compare two distinct ad strategies—brand partnerships vs. sale/deal promotions—by testing ads from two well-known brands: Burger King and Toyota. We wanted to know: Do flashy collabs with pop culture favorites outperform classic promotional messaging when it comes to consumer impact?

We tested each brand’s partnership ad and its sale/deal counterpart with 250 American consumers using our proprietary video dial testing and survey tools. Here’s what we found:

🔥 Burger King: Value Power Wins Out

• Partnership Ad: Burger King's co-branded spot with How to Train Your Dragon delivered standout brand recall (98%) but struggled in deeper metrics like intent (46%) and consideration (44%). It also underwhelmed in content relevance (20%), suggesting the tie-in may have felt disconnected for some viewers.
• Deal Ad: The value-focused combo meal ad outperformed across the board. It scored higher in likability (69%), consideration (60%), and purchase intent (61%). It also had the strongest "better than like brands" rating (56%) and a higher recommendation rate (56%).

✅ Takeaway: While the partnership ad grabbed attention, the deal ad drove more meaningful outcomes—from engagement to purchase intent. Clear, value-based messaging resonated more than fantasy tie-ins.

🚗 Toyota: A Closer Call Between Strategy Types

• Partnership Ad: Toyota’s NFL Flag Football ad generated solid brand recall (90%), but lagged in key conversion metrics like intent (41%) and consideration (40%). Engagement (57%) and relevance (30%) were also middling.
• Sale Ad: The summer sale commercial slightly edged out the partnership spot on engagement (64%), intent (48%), and consideration (46%), while tying in brand recall (98%). Viewers also rated it slightly higher on content relevance (32%) and "better than like brands" (53%).

✅ Takeaway: Neither Toyota ad was a runaway success, but the sale ad had a marginal advantage—particularly in lower-funnel metrics that signal consumer action.

🎯 Overall Insight: Brand Partnerships Capture Attention, But Deals Drive Action

Across both brands, partnership ads consistently delivered strong brand recall, but deal/sale ads tended to outperform in likability, engagement, consideration, and intent—metrics that matter for conversion.

Brand tie-ins may still serve a purpose—especially for top-of-funnel awareness—but when it comes to moving consumers closer to purchase, nothing beats a clear value proposition.