The Burger King
Encyclopedia
The Burger King was a character created as the advertising
mascot
for the international fast-food restaurant franchise Burger King
who became famous in numerous television commercials, including the Burger King Kingdom
. The first iteration of the King was part of Burger King sign at the first store in Miami, Florida
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 August 2011, Burger King announced that The Burger King would be retired as the primary mascot for the brand.
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 Allen Swift
. 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 soon 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 knight
that has a craving for milkshakes), the "Burger Thing" (a W.C. Fields
-esque hamburger portrait), and "The Duke of Doubt" who often doubted the King's abilities, and the robotic "Wizard of Fries". This campaign paralleled McDonald's
McDonaldland
children's commercials, which featured "Ronald McDonald
", "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 BK Kids Club Gang ads.
The Miami based advertising firm of Crispin Porter + Bogusky
(CP+B) took over the advertising account of Burger King on January 27, 2003. They began using a caricature
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 eBay
; originally used as an inspiration for brainstorming, it was eventually decided to restore the head and use it in a campaign. This version of the King began appearing in commercials in 2004. Employing the advertising technique called Viral Marketing
, 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. 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, random places, such as in bed with people or behind doors and walls, only to offer these people some sort of Burger King product. The ads have caught on with the public and The King has become very popular.
On the Internet, The King is something of an internet meme
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?".
Due to sluggish sales and customer aversion, Burger King retired the 2000s version of the character in favor of a "food-centric" marketing approach.
game footage. The King is superimposed
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 Steve Young, Deion Sanders
, and Moe Williams
(receiving a lateral pass
from Randy Moss
). He has also been depicted performing the Lambeau Leap and dumping Gatorade
on the head of former Miami Dolphins
head coach Don Shula
. These commercials were referenced on the ESPN
program SportsCenter
, when The King was facetiously dubbed an NFL Rookie Of The Year
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 "agent
", Drew Rosenhaus
.
which was released on all-formats, starting with the Xbox 360
release in February 2006. 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 cheat code. However, some fans of the game regard his cameo as an example of excessive product placement
.
In October 2006, Burger King announced that it would be releasing three video games for the Xbox
and Xbox 360
consoles, starring The King and other mascots, such as the Subservient Chicken. In Pocketbike Racer
, the mascots face off in a minibike
race. Big Bumpin'
has them trying to defeat each other in a game of bumper cars. Finally, Sneak King
has players control the Burger King in a third-person perspective stealth game, 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 ESRB. 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. 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.
The newest gaming venture is a series of games that are developed by Seattle, Washington
based mobile content provider Mobliss. The games, designed to run on mobile phones, are promoted in U.S. locations on menus and packaging and were introduced spring of 2008. 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. The games can be purchased and downloaded using an SMS
shortcode, and can be available on all major US carriers as Mobliss has direct publishing agreements with Sprint Nextel
, AT&T Mobility, Verizon Wireless
, Alltel
, and T-Mobile (USA).
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
for the international fast-food restaurant franchise Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
who became famous in numerous television commercials, including the Burger King Kingdom
Burger King Kingdom
The Burger King Kingdom is a fantasy world associated with Burger King.-History:The Burger King Kingdom was the name of Burger King's answer to McDonaldland during the mid-1970s...
. The first iteration of the King was part of Burger King sign at the first store in Miami, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
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 August 2011, Burger King announced that The Burger King would be retired as the primary mascot for the brand.
1960s - 1980s
Allen Swift
Ira Stadlen , known professionally as Allen Swift, was an American voice actor, known for playing characters including Simon Bar Sinister and Riff-Raff on the Underdog cartoon show...
. 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 soon 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 knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
that has a craving for milkshakes), the "Burger Thing" (a W.C. Fields
W. C. Fields
William Claude Dukenfield , better known as W. C. Fields, was an American comedian, actor, juggler and writer...
-esque hamburger portrait), and "The Duke of Doubt" who often doubted the King's abilities, and the robotic "Wizard of Fries". This campaign paralleled McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
McDonaldland
McDonaldland
McDonaldland was a fantasy world used in the marketing for McDonald's restaurants. It was based on the "total concept and feel" of Sid and Marty Krofft's H.R. Pufnstuf television program. McDonaldland was inhabited by Ronald McDonald and other characters...
children's commercials, which featured "Ronald McDonald
Ronald McDonald
Ronald McDonald is a clown character used as the primary mascot of the McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain. In television commercials, the clown inhabits a fantasy world called McDonaldland, and has adventures with his friends Mayor McCheese, the Hamburglar, Grimace, Birdie the Early Bird, and...
", "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 BK Kids Club Gang ads.
2003 - 2011
Crispin Porter + Bogusky
Crispin Porter + Bogusky , a member of publicly-traded MDC Partners, is an advertising agency that currently employs around 1,000 people. It was founded in 1965 by Sam Crispin.. Crispin then became partners with Chuck Porter and Alex Bogusky...
(CP+B) took over the advertising account of Burger King on January 27, 2003. They began using a caricature
Caricature
A caricature is a portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness. In literature, a caricature is a description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others.Caricatures can be...
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 eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
; originally used as an inspiration for brainstorming, it was eventually decided to restore the head and use it in a campaign. This version of the King began appearing in commercials in 2004. Employing the advertising technique called Viral Marketing
Viral marketing
Viral marketing, viral advertising, or marketing buzz are buzzwords referring to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of viruses...
, 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. 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, random places, such as in bed with people or behind doors and walls, only to offer these people some sort of Burger King product. The ads have caught on with the public and The King has become very popular.
On the Internet, The King is something of an internet meme
Internet meme
The term Internet meme is used to describe a concept that spreads via the Internet. The term is a reference to the concept of memes, although the latter concept refers to a much broader category of cultural information.-Description:...
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?".
Due to sluggish sales and customer aversion, Burger King retired the 2000s version of the character in favor of a "food-centric" marketing approach.
Advertising campaigns
- In October 2005, Burger King began to sell HalloweenHalloweenHallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
masks resembling The King and Burger King's viral marketingViral marketingViral marketing, viral advertising, or marketing buzz are buzzwords referring to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of viruses...
character The Subservient ChickenThe Subservient ChickenThe Subservient Chicken is an advertising program created to promote international fast food restaurant chain Burger King's TenderCrisp chicken sandwich and their "Have it Your Way" campaign...
. There was little promotion on these masks, as Burger King's website had no link to the bkmasks.com website and no commercials were aired advertising them. Nonetheless, the masks quickly sold out, and some masks were also sold on eBayEBayeBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
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. - Although the advertisements were mainly shown in North America, advertisements featuring the King surfaced on Channel 4Channel 4Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
in the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as well as in GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
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 Superman ReturnsSuperman ReturnsSuperman Returns is a 2006 superhero film directed by Bryan Singer. It is the fifth and final installment in the original Superman film series and serves as a alternate sequel to Superman and Superman II by ignoring the events of Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace .The film stars...
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 tie-inTie-inA tie-in is an authorized product based on a media property a company is releasing, such as a movie or video/DVD, computer game, video game, television program/television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property...
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 hand puppetHand puppetA hand puppet is a type of puppet that is controlled by the leg or face that occupies the interior of the puppet. Glove puppets are a variation of hand puppets...
. - In July 2007, The King appeared in several commercials promoting The Simpsons MovieThe Simpsons MovieThe Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...
as a Simpsons character, complete with four fingers, yellow skin and an overbiteMalocclusionA malocclusion is a misalignment of teeth or incorrect relation between the teeth of the two dental arches. The term was coined by Edward Angle, the "father of modern orthodontics", as a derivative of occlusion, which refers to the manner in which opposing teeth meet.-Presentation:Most people have...
. - 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 tie-inTie-inA tie-in is an authorized product based on a media property a company is releasing, such as a movie or video/DVD, computer game, video game, television program/television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property...
promotion of the film Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the SithStar Wars Episode III: Revenge of the SithStar Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is a 2005 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the sixth and final film released in the Star Wars saga and the third in terms of the series' internal chronology....
, commercials for a cross-promotions with the NFL and DirecTVDirecTVDirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
's NFL Sunday Ticket sports subscription package. - A further series of advertisements featuring Brooke BurkeBrooke BurkeBrooke Burke Charvet , better known by her maiden name, Brooke Burke, is an actress, dancer, model and television personality...
, which premiered during Super Bowl XLSuper Bowl XLSuper Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
, featured the King orchestrating an elaborate Broadway-style show called "the WhopperettesThe WhopperettesThe Whopperettes is a series of advertisements created by Crispin, Porter + Bogusky for Burger King, featuring Brooke Burke.The commercials premiered during Super Bowl XL and featured the King orchestrating a Broadway-style show, reminiscent of the Rockettes' Shows, featuring women dressed as...
": women dressed as burger condiments and toppings in a Ziegfeld FolliesZiegfeld FolliesThe Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
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 SouthwesternSouthwestern United StatesThe Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
desertDesertA desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
, doing a jigJigThe Jig is a form of lively folk dance, as well as the accompanying dance tune, originating in England in the 16th century and today most associated with Irish dance music and Scottish country dance music...
-like dance to banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
music. His head is slightly modified so that he wears a handlebar mustache in the style of the Old West, 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 Las VegasLas Vegas metropolitan areaThe Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
, NevadaNevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
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 Big MacBig MacThe Big Mac is a hamburger sold by McDonald's, an international fast food restaurant chain. It is one of the company's signature products...
from McDonald'sMcDonald'sMcDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
or a hamburger from Wendy'sWendy'sWendy's is an international fast food chain restaurant founded by Dave Thomas on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio, United States. The company decided to move its headquarters to Dublin, Ohio, on January 29, 2006. It has been owned by Triarc since 2008...
. After the customers complained to the Burger King restaurant manager, the King would emerge from the kitchen with a Whopper on a silver platter. All of the commercials that aired featured excerpts from a full-length video which can be seen at the official "Whopper Freakout" website here http://www.whopperfreakout.com/. - In a 2008 commercial, which takes place in the futureFutureThe future is the indefinite time period after the present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the nature of the reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently exists and will exist is temporary and will come...
, a retro-futuristic robotRobotA robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
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 Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon ComedySeth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon ComedySeth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy is an American cartoon web series created by Seth MacFarlane.-Background:The series, which consists of comic cartoon shorts unrelated to each other, is released on YouTube. The series, which aired several episodes a month, was originally sponsored by...
, 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 "Baby Got BackBaby Got Back"Baby Got Back" is a 1992 Number One single by hip hop artist Sir Mix-a-Lot, from his album Mack Daddy. The song samples the 1986 electro single "Technicolor" by Channel One. The song's title originates from an urban slang term used to express a favorable opinion about a woman's buttocks...
" by Sir Mix-a-lotSir Mix-a-LotAnthony Ray , better known by his stage name Sir Mix-a-Lot, is an emcee and producer based in Seattle, Washington. The founder of the Nastymix record label, he debuted in 1988 with Swass...
. The lyrics are replaced by references to SpongeBob SquarePantsSpongeBob SquarePantsSpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...
. - The Kingons are used to advertise the 2009 Star Trek film. The advertising and related Kingon Defense Academy web site states that they are an illegitimate offspring between the King and a KlingonKlingonKlingons are a fictional warrior race in the Star Trek universe.Klingons are recurring villains in the 1960s television show Star Trek: The Original Series, and have appeared in all five spin-off series and eight feature films...
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 Fu Manchu mustaches 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 NFLNational Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
game footage. The King is superimposed
Superimposition
In graphics, superimposition is the placement of an image or video on top of an already-existing image or video, usually to add to the overall image effect, but also sometimes to conceal something .This technique is used in cartography to produce photomaps by superimposing grid lines, contour lines...
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 Steve Young, Deion Sanders
Deion Sanders
Deion Luwynn Sanders , nicknamed "Prime Time" and "Neon Deion", is a former National Football League cornerback and Major League Baseball outfielder who currently works as an NFL Network analyst...
, and Moe Williams
Moe Williams
Maurece Jabari "Moe" Williams is a former American football running back in the National Football League . He formerly played for the Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens...
(receiving a lateral pass
Lateral pass
In American football, a lateral pass or lateral, officially backward pass , occurs when the ball carrier throws the football to any teammate behind him or directly next to him...
from Randy Moss
Randy Moss
Randy Gene Moss is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
). He has also been depicted performing the Lambeau Leap and dumping Gatorade
Gatorade shower
The Gatorade shower, also known as the Gatorade dunk and the Gatorade bath, is a sports tradition that involves dumping a cooler full of liquid over a coach's head following a meaningful win, like the Super Bowl. The tradition began with the New York Giants football team in the mid-1980s...
on the head of former Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
head coach Don Shula
Don Shula
Donald Francis "Don" Shula is a former American football cornerback and coach.He is best known as coach of the Miami Dolphins, the team he led to two Super Bowl victories, and to the National Football League's only perfect season. Shula was named 1993 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated....
. These commercials were referenced on the ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
program SportsCenter
SportsCenter
SportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
, when The King was facetiously dubbed an NFL Rookie Of The Year
NFL Rookie of the Year Award
Since 1967, the Associated Press has given two annual Rookie of the Year Awards to National Football League players: one for an offensive player and one for a defensive player. These two are often regarded as the "official" awards...
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 "agent
Sports agent
A sports agent procures and negotiates employment and endorsement contracts for an athlete.In return, the sports agent generally receives between 4 and 10% of the athlete's playing contract, and 10 to 20% of the athlete's endorsement contract, though these figures vary...
", Drew Rosenhaus
Drew Rosenhaus
Drew Rosenhaus is an American sports agent who represents professional football players. He owns the Miami-based sports agency, Rosenhaus Sports, and is known for using aggressive tactics on behalf of his clients who play in the National Football League.Rosenhaus currently represents approximately...
.
Advergaming
The first appearance of The King in a video game was in the boxing game Fight Night Round 3 from EA SportsEA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
which was released on all-formats, starting with the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
release in February 2006. 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 cheat code. However, some fans of the game regard his cameo as an example of excessive product placement
Product placement
Product placement, or embedded marketing, is a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows, or news programs. The product placement is often not disclosed at the time that the...
.
In October 2006, Burger King announced that it would be releasing three video games for the Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
and Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
consoles, starring The King and other mascots, such as the Subservient Chicken. In Pocketbike Racer
PocketBike Racer
Pocketbike Racer is an advergaming title from Burger King for the Xbox and Xbox 360 video game consoles. On November 19, 2006, Burger King started selling it for an additional $3.99 USD with any value meal...
, the mascots face off in a minibike
Minibike
A minibike, sometimes called a mini moto or pocketbike, is a miniature motorcycle. Most minibikes use two-stroke engines and chain drive.- History :...
race. Big Bumpin'
Big Bumpin'
Big Bumpin' is an advergaming title from Burger King for the Xbox and Xbox 360 video game consoles. published by King Games & developed by Blitz Games. On November 19, 2006, Burger King started selling it for an additional $3.99 USD with any value meal...
has them trying to defeat each other in a game of bumper cars. Finally, Sneak King
Sneak King
Sneak King is an advergaming title from Burger King for the Xbox and Xbox 360 video game consoles. On November 19, 2006, Burger King started selling it for an additional $3.99 USD with any value meal...
has players control the Burger King in a third-person perspective stealth game, 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 ESRB. 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. 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.
The newest gaming venture is a series of games that are developed by Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
based mobile content provider Mobliss. The games, designed to run on mobile phones, are promoted in U.S. locations on menus and packaging and were introduced spring of 2008. 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. The games can be purchased and downloaded using an SMS
Short message service
Short Message Service is a text messaging service component of phone, web, or mobile communication systems, using standardized communications protocols that allow the exchange of short text messages between fixed line or mobile phone devices...
shortcode, and can be available on all major US carriers as Mobliss has direct publishing agreements with Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel Corporation is an American telecommunications company based in Overland Park, Kansas. The company owns and operates Sprint, the third largest wireless telecommunications network in the United States, with 53.4 million customers, behind Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility...
, AT&T Mobility, Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless
Cellco Partnership, doing business as Verizon Wireless, is one of the largest mobile network operators in the United States. The network has 107.7 million subscribers as of 2011, making it the largest wireless service provider in America....
, Alltel
Alltel
Alltel Corporation is a wireless service provider, primarily based in the United States. Before an acquisition by Verizon Wireless, it served 34 states. After the merger, Alltel continues to serve six states, mostly in rural areas...
, and T-Mobile (USA).
See also
- Fast food advertisingFast food advertisingFast food advertising is the promotion of fast food products and ventures through a variety of media. Fast food advertising campaigns are not as highly regulated as some other products, such as those imposed on alcohol advertising, but there are often public calls for their promotion to be...
- Burger KingBurger KingBurger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
- Viral MarketingViral marketingViral marketing, viral advertising, or marketing buzz are buzzwords referring to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of viruses...
External links
- RetroJunk.com A 1985 Burger King Kingdom commercial featuring the Burger King and the Duke of Doubt on Retro Junk.
- TV Acres.com The evolution of The Burger King