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| {{for|the restaurant chain|Burger King}} | |||
| {{infobox advertising | |||
| | name = Burger King | |||
| | image = ] | |||
| | caption = The Burger King as seen in ]'s ''Wake Up with the King'' commercial | |||
| | agency = ] | |||
| | client = Burger King | |||
| | title = Wake Up with the King | |||
| | product = Whopper | |||
| | product2 = Product tie-in | |||
| | product3 = Enormous Omelet Sandwich | |||
| | year = 2003-2011 | |||
| }} | |||
| '''The Burger King''' was an advertising mascot for the international fast food restaurant chain ]. He has been used in numerous television commercials and advertising programs. The character has under gone several iterations over the course of its company's history. The first iteration of the Bills was part of Burger Bills sign at the first store in ], ] in 1955. Later signs had the King shown sitting on a "burger throne" as well as atop the BK sign while holding a beverage. In the early 1970s Burger King started using a small, animated version of the King called Kurger Bing <ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/BurgerKing/status/269862477481787396|title=That’s right! KURGER BING®, one of the first to take the throne in the 1970s, is back and here to join the WHOPPER® Sandwich celebrations.|publisher=Burger King official ]|accessdate=2014-01-20}}</ref> in its children's advertising where the animated Burger King was voiced by ]. By the late 70s, the original animated King was replaced by the "Marvelous Magical Burger King", a red-bearded, ]-era king who ruled the ] and performed magic tricks that were mostly sleight-of-hand, but sometimes relied on camera tricks or involved his "Magic Ring" which could summon copious amounts of food. The children's ads featuring the King were phased out by the late 1980s in favor of the BK Kids Club Gang and other later programs. | |||
| When advertising agency ] took over the advertising account of Burger King in 2003, They devised a ]d variation of the Burger King character from the Burger King Kingdom advertising campaign, now simply called "the king." | |||
| ==History== | |||
| ===1960s - 1980s=== | |||
| In the late 1960s to early 1970s Burger King started using a small, animated version of the King in its children's advertising where the animated Burger King was voiced by ]. The Burger King was featured in a series of advertisements in which he would visit a Burger King outlet for an interview with a television reporter or see a former court wizard who now worked for the chain. In all ads the King would present children with small gifts or buy them some Burger King food. Many of these commercials featured the king character reciting the restaurant's slogan, "Burger King, where kids are king". | |||
| By the late 70s, the original animated King was replaced by the "Marvelous Magical Burger King", a red-bearded, Tudor-era king who ruled the Burger King Kingdom and performed magic tricks that were mostly sleight-of-hand, but sometimes relied on camera tricks or involved his "Magic Ring" which could summon copious amounts of food. The King was accompanied by usually two or more children and notable characters such as "Sir Shake-a-Lot" (a ] that has a craving for milkshakes), the "Burger Thing" (a ]-esque hamburger portrait), and "The Duke of Doubt" who often doubted the King's abilities, and the robotic "Wizard of Fries". This campaign paralleled ] ] children's commercials, which featured "]", "The Hamburglar", and "Mayor McCheese", along with other characters and mascots. | |||
| The children's ads featuring the King were phased out by the late 1980s in favor of the ] ads. | |||
| <gallery> | |||
| File:Burger King (1955-1968).png|The original ''Burger King'' as used in print campaigns from the 1950s to the late 1960s. | |||
| File:Kurger Bing.jpg|The ''Kurger Bing'' version of the Burger King used in late 1960s and early 1970s TV advertisements. | |||
| File:Magical Burger King.png.jpg|A rendition of the ''Marvelous Magical Burger King'' from the late 1970s and early 1980s. | |||
| </gallery> | |||
| ===2003 - 2011=== | |||
| The ] based advertising firm of ] (CP+B) took over the advertising account of Burger King on January 27, 2003.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/2004/1/22/burger_king_corporation_selects_crispin_porter.htm |title=Burger King Corporation Selects Crispin Porter + Bogusky As Lead Creative Advertising Agency |author=PRNewswire |publisher=HispanicBusiness.com| date=23 January 2006}}</ref> They began using a ]d variation of the Burger King character from the Burger King Kingdom advertising campaign, now simply called "the King". An employee at Crispin Porter + Bogusky found a 1970s era, over sized King head for sale on ]; originally used as an inspiration for brainstorming, it was eventually decided to restore the head and use it in a campaign.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.slate.com/id/2107697/ |title=Burger King is resurrecting a dubious icon. Why? |author=Seth Stevenson |publisher=] |date=2004-10-01 |accessdate=2007-10-09 }}</ref> This version of the King began appearing in commercials in 2004.<ref name=TimeCreepy>"The (Burger) King Is Dead". '']'' magazine. September 9, 2011. page 56.</ref> Employing the advertising technique called ], CP+B's ads generated significant word of mouth for its new use of what various trade publications and Internet articles labeled "the Creepy King" persona, an appellation that BK has come to favor and CP+B uses in its ads.<ref name=heavyweights>{{cite episode |url=http://www.foodnetwork.com/heavyweights/big-burger-business-mcdonalds-and-burger-king/index.html |title=Big Burger Business: McDonald's and Burger King |series= |network=] |airdate=2008-04-21 |season=2 |number=3 }}</ref> In this incarnation, "the King" is an actor who wears an over-sized, grinning mask that resembles the King. The ads feature the King appearing in various, unexpected places, such as in bed with people or behind doors and walls, only to offer these people some sort of Burger King product. | |||
| On the Internet, The King is something of an ] with jokes about his huge head, and frequently portrayed as a fiend with monstrous intents, often accompanied with the catchphrase "Where is your God now?".<ref>{{cite book |url=http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=where%20is%20your%20god%20now |title=Mo' Urban Dictionary |author=Aaron Peckham |publisher=Andrews McMeel Publishing |date=2007-10-01 |isbn=0-7407-6875-1 |page= |accessdate=2009-01-10 |quote=A common phrase tagged onto an image or web page so terrifyingly weird that it makes you question if god exists. Most often seen associated with the rubber-faced Burger King mascot.}}</ref> | |||
| Due to sluggish sales and customer aversion, Burger King retired the 2000s version of the character in favor of a "food-centric" marketing approach.<ref name=TimeCreepy/> Burger King chief financial officer, Josh Kobza, said that the "creepy" character was phased out because he "scare away women and children" from the chain.<ref name=creepy>{{cite news|last=Wong|first=Venessa|title=How the Average McDonald’s Makes Twice as Much as Burger King|url=http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-03-25/how-the-average-mcdonald-s-makes-twice-as-much-as-burger-king#r=rss|accessdate=March 26, 2014|newspaper=Businessweek|date=March 25, 2014}}</ref> | |||
| <gallery> | |||
| File:theoldking.jpg|Updated version of the ''Kurger Bing'' character used in Kids Club advertising during the mid 2000s. | |||
| File:The Burger King (2000s).jpg|The ''Creepy King'' version of the Burger King used from 2003 to 2011 in TV advertisements. | |||
| </gallery> | |||
| ==Advertising campaigns== | |||
| === Crispin Porter +Bogusky === | |||
| {{infobox advertising | |||
| | name = The Burger King | |||
| | image = ] | |||
| | caption = The King in a Simpsons / Burger King commercial | |||
| | agency = Crispin, Porter + Bogusky | |||
| | client = Burger King | |||
| | title = The Simpsons Movie King | |||
| | product = Product tie-in | |||
| | product2 = | |||
| | product3 = | |||
| | year = 2007 | |||
| }} | |||
| * In October 2005, Burger King began to sell ] masks resembling The King and Burger King's ] character ]. There was little promotion on these masks, as Burger King's website<ref></ref> had no link to the bkmasks.com website and no ] were aired advertising them. Nonetheless, the masks quickly sold out, and some masks were also sold on ] for hundreds of dollars. In October 2006, the masks were again sold for the Halloween season. Unavailable for some time, the masks are now available again through Burger King's online shop.<ref>{{dead link|date=April 2010}}</ref> | |||
| * Although the advertisements were mainly shown in North America, advertisements featuring the King surfaced on ] in the ] as well as in ] in early January 2006. The King appeared not to catch on with the UK market and was seemingly retired there after only two brief commercials (featuring him at an ATM and as a pole dancer). However, he returned in summer 2006 as part of Burger King's '']'' campaign. | |||
| * In September 2006, Burger King began using the original animated King design from the late 1960s and early 1970s commercials on its cups, bags and in non ] kids advertising. The second generation King is portrayed as a sarcastic type who sometimes gets in trouble for his mischief making adventures, and appears as a simplistic ]. | |||
| * In July 2007, The King appeared in several commercials promoting '']'' as a Simpsons character, complete with four fingers, yellow skin and an ]. | |||
| * The ad campaign for the BK Homestyle Melt sandwiches depicted a group of women, presumably mothers, who have attempted to kill the King though various means such as putting a hit on him or attempting to run over him with a car. It is implied this is done because the new products are moving in on the women's territory, home cooked meals. | |||
| * The character has appeared in the ] promotion of the film '']'', commercials for a cross-promotions with the ] and ]'s NFL Sunday Ticket sports subscription package. | |||
| * A further series of advertisements featuring ], which premiered during ], featured the King orchestrating an elaborate Broadway-style show called "]": women dressed as burger condiments and toppings in a ] type production. The "Have it your way" slogan and "Creepy King" comment also made its way into the lyrics. | |||
| * In a 2007 commercial to promote the restaurant chain's new Western Whopper sandwich, the King is shown in full royal attire against an obviously fake backdrop of a ] ], doing a ]-like dance to ] music. His head is slightly modified so that he wears a ] in the style of the ], and is juxtaposed with shots of Burger King customers who, upon consuming a Western Whopper, acquire similar mustaches regardless of age or gender. | |||
| * In 2007, Burger King introduced a television advertising campaign in which a Burger King restaurant in ], ] told customers that the company had stopped selling the Whopper sandwich. The ads showed the startled reactions of customers that Burger King would discontinue selling its most popular sandwich. A second round of related commercials showed actual customers who had ordered a Whopper instead being provided with a ] from ] or a hamburger from ]. After the customers complained to the Burger King restaurant manager, the King would emerge from the kitchen with a Whopper on a silver platter. | |||
| * In a 2008 commercial, which takes place in the ], a ] ] version of the Burger King delivers a new breakfast wrap to a person who is waking up. The purpose of the advertisement was to market Burger King's new Cheesy Bacon BK Wrapper. | |||
| * An animated version of the Burger King appears at the beginning of each episode of '']'', sponsored by Burger King, bursting through the movie screen and trying to escape from some kind of danger behind him, such as angry jungle natives, a dramatic explosion, etc. | |||
| * In 2009 the Burger King advertises a Kid's Meal cross promotion with SpongeBob to the tune of "]" by ]. The lyrics are replaced by references to '']''. | |||
| * The Kingons are used to advertise the 2009 '']'' film. The advertising and related Kingon Defense Academy web site states that they are an illegitimate offspring between the King and a ] woman. The Kingons are a trio of two males and one female that all feature the plastic mask of the King modified with features of the later Klingons, namely head ridges and ]s on the two males and the King's crown on all three. | |||
| * In 2010, The King a second attempt was made to launch in the UK, with a series of TV and newspaper commercials, starting a few days before his launch, with sneak peeks accompanied by the tag "He's Coming". | |||
| === NFL commercials === | |||
| Beginning in 2005, commercials featuring The King were created by digitally altering classic ] game footage. The King is ] over players, making it appear as though the King was involved in the play. Some of the players the King has been imposed over include ], ], and ] (receiving a ] from ]). He has also been depicted performing the ] and ] on the head of former ] head coach ]. These commercials were referenced on the ] program '']'', when The King was facetiously dubbed an ] candidate (despite, as noted, the fact that he is shown playing for multiple teams). | |||
| In August 2006, a commercial debuted showing The King holding a press conference with his "]", ]. | |||
| === Advergaming === | |||
| The first appearance of The King in a video game was in the boxing game '']'' from ] which was released on all-formats, starting with the ] release in February 2006.<ref>Michael Donahue, "Forced Guests: Cameos that make us sceam 'Yessss!'" in ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' 226 (March 2008): 34.</ref> The King was available as the in-ring round guy, and later he was selectable as your boxing manager (his speciality was giving you "Heart"). There were also persistent rumors that he could be played as a boxer using a ]. However, some fans of the game regard his cameo as an example of excessive ].<ref name="clickz">{{cite web |url=http://www.clickz.com/3627232 |title=Burger King Makes Foray into Mobile Phone Gaming |author=Fred Aun |publisher=] |date=2007-10-08 |accessdate=2007-10-09 }}</ref> | |||
| In October 2006, Burger King announced that it would be releasing three video games for the ] and ] consoles, starring The King and other mascots, such as the Subservient Chicken. In '']'', the mascots face off in a ] race. '']'' has them trying to defeat each other in a game of ]. Finally, '']'' has players control the Burger King in a ] ], where the King must sneak up behind hungry people and offer them Burger King products. Players are graded on how elaborately they deliver the food. | |||
| The games were available at Burger King restaurants from November 19 to December 24, 2006. They were priced at $3.99 each ($4.99 Canadian) with purchase of a value meal, and have each been rated "E for Everyone" by the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6159158.html?tag=lastword;link |title=Burger King orders up Xbox games |author=Brendan Sinclair |publisher=] |date=2006-10-02 |accessdate=2007-10-08 }}</ref> While the games are now unavailable in stores, Burger King is still selling the games through its online store. Although Dollarama is now selling them for $2.00 each.<ref>{{dead link|date=April 2010}}</ref> The games remain priced at $3.99 each, but they are now available as a set for $10.99. All three received low ratings from various game critics.<ref> ] review of Sneak King</ref><ref> Gamespot review of Pocketbike Racer</ref><ref> Gamespot review of Big Bumpin'</ref> | |||
| The newest gaming venture is a series of games that are developed by ] based mobile content provider . The games, designed to run on mobile phones, are promoted in U.S. locations on menus and packaging and were introduced spring of 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/08/burger_king_mobiles/ |title=Do you want a high-score with that? |author=Bill Ray |publisher=The Register |date=2007-10-08 |accessdate=2007-10-08 }}</ref> According to Mobliss, the goal of the first game is to become the King's protégé by facing challenges and progressing in the virtual world of a Burger King-themed city.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2007/10/05/burger-king-taps-mobliss-to-develop-mobile-games |title=Burger King Taps Mobliss to Develop Mobile Games |author=Mark Hefflinger |publisher=Digital Media Wire |date=2007-10-08 |accessdate=2007-10-08 }}</ref> The games can be purchased and downloaded using an ] shortcode, and can be available on all major US carriers as Mobliss has direct publishing agreements with ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name="clickz"/> | |||
| == See also == | |||
| {{Portal|Food}} | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| == References == | |||
| {{reflist|30em}} | |||
| == External links == | |||
| * A 1985 Burger King Kingdom commercial featuring the Burger King and the Duke of Doubt on Retro Junk. | |||
| * The evolution of The Burger King | |||
| * . | |||
| {{Burger King}} | |||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Burger King, The}} | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
Revision as of 19:34, 19 February 2015
