Burger King loses its ad agency - now will its "king" face the chop?
Talk about bringing coals to Newcastle! When the Americans brought a crowned head to Britain last year to push Burger King, they may have wondered about the Brits' lack of excitement. Now it's all change on the marketing front and the ad agency has gone.
The parting of the ways with its agency after seven years follows Burger King's acquisition by 3G Capital for $3.26 billion in September.
A spokesperson at Burger King confirmed it was seeking a new agency. In a statement the company said : "Burger King and Crispin Porter + Bogusky have enjoyed a tremendously successful relationship over the past seven and a half years. During that time, our creative partnership resulted in countless innovative and engaging campaigns for the BK brand.
"We are incredibly proud of all that we have accomplished together, but have mutually decided that now is the right time to part ways. We are fans of each other’s work and wish each other much success in the future."
The King mascot - a crown-wearing character who has been a real and animated character in TV advertising – took part in a UK tour last year, meeting customers in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh, among other cities.
Customers were encouraged to "follow The King", in exchange for offers and discounts at their local Burger King. At the same time a new slogan "Taste is King" was featured in a 60-second TV spot by CPB.
In America there was speculation on whether the King will survive the chain's marketing changes. Recent publicity has been more product-focused and has not featured the brand's crowned head.