MediaPost reported Burger King launched a new campaign, firing its iconic King mascot.
No word yet if the unceremonious ouster inspires public backlash like the Cracker Barrel ‘Old Timer’ debacle, or if it’s just a promotional stunt like the Mr. Clean unretirement.
Will cries of ageism erupt?
Did BK concede to anti-DEIBA+ right-wing pressure that might be delayed outrage from the 2020 Finland Pride advertisement depicted below?
Scenes of the King’s dismissal seem insensitive in today’s job market, where even BK crew members face sudden termination.
The commercial admits the fast-food chain dropped the ball, especially in recent years; however, BK corporate executives don’t appear to be adversely affected by their self-acknowledged failures.
Regardless, the new campaign is hardly breakthrough and smells of appeasing desperation.
Dumping the responsible White advertising agency and BK CMO would represent the ultimate irony and/or king-sized karma.
Burger King Mascot Gets Pink Slip
By Tanya Gazdik
After several decades of dedicated service, Burger King’s mascot — yes, the King — has been shown the door.
“Over the last several years, the brand has been updating its restaurant operations, technology, and appearances, as well as adjusting menu items and changing its packaging, Joel Yashinsky, CMO of Burger King US and Canada, told Marketing Brew. “Many people found the king to be creepy,” Yashinsky said. “So we’re firing the king.”
The brand debuted the 90-second “There’s a New King, and It’s You” spot on Sunday evening during the Oscars.
“What happened?” begins the ad. “There was a time when Burger King used to be king.”
The question has been the center of a $700 million effort to revamp Burger King’s image after the brand lost its spot as the No. 2 US burger chain in 2020.
“The ad traces the history of Burger King through the years and admits that ‘fast food just fell off, us included,’ noting guest complaints about ‘old restaurants, slow service [and] simple mistakes,’” according to Marketing Dive.
The campaign builds on recent efforts that put the brand in consumers’ hands, including Burger King President Tom Curtis giving out his phone number to solicit feedback.
“Burger King took the crown for Oscars 2026 ad domination,” notes Business Insider. “It ran several spots and got host-read callouts throughout the ceremony. Its main ad saw the fast-food chain fess up to missteps and promise changes.”
On Tuesday, Burger King’s Instagram included a re-post from The King’s LinkedIn account where his profile photo now includes the #OpenToWork hashtag.
The QSR’s financial problems run much deeper.
"Burger King has heavily invested in the Whopper, offering new limited-time-offer variations and basing much of its marketing around the signature sandwich,” according to The Street.
But a new study from Datassential shows that beef prices have climbed much faster than burger prices.
Perhaps the fast-food chain hopes having one less salary (the King’s) on its payroll will offset those expenses.
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