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Burger King angers Belgian royals with choose your king stunt to promote first outlet in the country

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By Tony Connelly, Sports Marketing Reporter

May 29, 2017 | 2 min read

Burger King's attempts to lay claim to the throne has angered the Belgian royal family after the brand's latest marketing stunt asked consumers to choose between its mascot and the country's King Philippe.

Burger King

The ad has been created to mark the launch of Burger king in Belgium

The ad, hosted on whoistheking.be, asks 'who is the king' and offers viewers a choice between the two kings. Those who select Philippe are met with the message: "Are you sure? He won't be the one to cook your fries."

BK

The Belgian royal family said Burger King had not approached them to ask permission for the use of the king's image, which takes the form of a cartoon in the ad.

"We disapprove of this approach," royal spokesman Pierre Emmanuel de Bauw told the BBC. "Since it is for commercial purposes, we would not have given our authorisation."

The voting system used in the ad also embodies the same sense of humour. Those who choose Philippe are asked twice whether they are sure, on the first occasion the yes option is tiny and when they are asked again the yes option darts around the screen.

The burger giant have launched the stunt as part of its marketing efforts to promote the opening of its first outlet in Belgium, which is scheduled for the end of June.

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