The Big Shack Big Shout Challenge invited consumers across the GCC to compete by shouting the burger’s name in a single breath, generating more than 66,000 WhatsApp interactions. To introduce one of its biggest burgers yet, Shake Shack partnered with Amber Communications and WhilterAI to create the Big Shack Big Shout Challenge – an AI-powered WhatsApp activation that encouraged consumers across the GCC to shout “The Biiiiiig Shhaaaack…” in a single breath for the chance to win a Big Shack meal.
For Shake Shack Middle East, the launch of The Big Shack was about creating an experience that made consumers part of the conversation.
The longer participants held their shout, the higher their chances of winning. Accessible through QR codes across Shake Shack’s social media channels, digital platforms and in-store touchpoints, the activation transformed a simple voice note into an interactive brand experience.
Using AI-powered conversations, the platform responded to participants in real time, encouraged repeat attempts and maintained engagement throughout the challenge.
The campaign generated more than 6,600 participants across the GCC and more than 66,000 WhatsApp messages, with participants recording an average shout duration of 31.4 seconds. Although designed for GCC audiences, the activation also attracted participation from markets including the US, UK, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, China and Egypt.
The launch was further supported by a 100 per cent barter-led influencer programme, which reached a combined audience of 1.34 million followers, alongside social media and in-store communications designed to drive awareness and customer visits during the launch period.
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The AI-powered campaign also contributed to the continued demand for The Big Shack, with the limited-time menu item later becoming a permanent addition to the Shake Shack menu.
Sayari Ghosh, Divisional Director for Brand Strategy and Marketing, Shake Shack Middle East, said: “The Big Shack was designed to be our boldest burger yet, so we wanted a launch that felt just as bold. The Big Shout Challenge gave people a fun, memorable way to interact with Shake Shack’s innovation before they even took their first bite.”
The activation was conceived and developed by Amber Communications in collaboration with WhilterAI. Pankaj K Arora, CRO and Co-founder, WhilterAI, said: “Shake Shack and Amber Communications had a bold idea: make the shout feel heard. Our AI stack handled the real conversational layer on Meta/WhatsApp — understanding voice notes, responding in real time, and keeping thousands of fans engaged across languages and time zones.”
Leslie Paul, ECD, Amber Communications, added: “Our ambition was to move beyond announcing a new burger and instead create an experience around it. By turning a simple human truth into an AI-powered challenge on a platform people already use every day, we created a launch that felt effortless, participative and genuinely fun.”
