Burger King Betting That You'll Want To Go See Burger King, The Movie

from the how-will-the-mpaa-rate-that-one? dept

For years and years and years, we've been trying to get advertising execs to recognize that ads are content. That is, as the concept of the captive audience goes away thanks to increasing media options and our "always on" society, companies can no longer get away with intrusive, annoying advertisements, and really need to work much harder on figuring out to make advertising that people want. Some companies, clearly, get this. Companies like BMW, Honda and American Express all figured this out early on, but it appears there's a new crop of companies that have all come to this realization as well -- with many of them deciding to create their own original entertainment content that they hope people actually want to see. This means companies like Anheuser-Busch are creating their very own TV network, BudTV. Office Max has created its very own TV show, a reality show about kids getting ready for school, and had it air on ABC's Family channel. And don't think it's all about product placement, either. Pepsi and Mountain Dew recently produced a snowboarding movie that ran in theaters -- but barely mentioned either drink, noting that it would have only been a distraction. On another such show, Unilever created the show, but held off on any advertising tie-in until after the show was off the air -- and then used the characters from the show in their ads. Of course, not all of the content is so subtle. Burger King is (no, really) making a movie that use their King character as the star. That seems a bit more risky, but does explain some of the odder Burger King commercials recently. Also, this wouldn't be Burger King's first experiment in the blurring line between ads and content, as they had a huge hit with their "subservient chicken" online time-waster game a little while ago, and last month announced they were going to be releasing some video games for the Xbox. While some people may get upset about this blurring, it's actually not such a bad thing. After all, when it's content in this form, you have the choice whether or not to watch it. When it comes in intrusive and annoying ways, it's a lot harder to avoid it.
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  • identicon
    dorpus, 10 Nov 2006 @ 11:44am

    Boiger King

    You mean they're trying to reach beyond their overwhelmingly black clientele?

    They do have the best fries, though.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 10 Nov 2006 @ 1:06pm

      Re: Boiger King

      I agree. With the culinary observation, at least.

      I will often do a 'combo run' consisting of food from somewhere else and fries from BK

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Murdock, 10 Nov 2006 @ 1:27pm

      Re: Boiger King

      Really, was there any need for a racial comment? What the heck does that have o do with anything?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 10 Nov 2006 @ 1:45pm

        Re: Re: Boiger King

        Notice who posted that... "dorpus"... all he ever posts is trolls.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 10 Nov 2006 @ 1:05pm

    burger king fires + ranch dip

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 10 Nov 2006 @ 1:11pm

    burger king fries are no match for mcdonald's fries. they truly are america's favorite fries.

    if done the right way, their King character can be used creatively.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 10 Nov 2006 @ 1:43pm

      Re:

      Oh god no..

      the only thing worse than McDs fries are its burgers...

      does that make me black?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Fed-Ex, 10 Nov 2006 @ 2:22pm

        Re: Re:

        Not if you aren't already.

        But if you aren't, then you might perhaps be Kevin Federline

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    No Name, 10 Nov 2006 @ 1:17pm

    Mickie D's Fries rule

    As much as I never eat the crap that comes out as supposed food, I will have to say that McD's has the best frenchfries, hands down!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Mauricem, 10 Nov 2006 @ 1:21pm

    Burger King the Movie?!

    Presumably a silent film. Anybody got a link to it? Oddly enough, I feel compelled to read more.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    n/a, 10 Nov 2006 @ 1:23pm

    You know you have a good advertising campaign when people goto the internet to find your commercial and even start forwarding it on when they get it in an e-mail. If company can achieve that, they know they got their money's worth for a commercial/Ad campaign.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Tad, 10 Nov 2006 @ 1:46pm

    Oddly enough, I'm more fond of Dairy Queen fries. I think it's due more to the salt that is nearly a dust than the fries themselves, though.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    xxl3w, 10 Nov 2006 @ 2:09pm

    Weird

    I don't know if it's because I'm in a bad mood or what, but this sounds extremely risky and not a very good idea. Why does Burger King need advertising? Other than specials they're running or a new kid's toy, it sounds useless for them. That's like advertising Wal-mart. About the fry conversation. I enjoy both Mcdonald's and Burger King. Both of them have their on and off days, but Captain D's has the best, consistent fries.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 10 Nov 2006 @ 2:18pm

    I work at burger king in Hillsboro (outside of Portand, OR). I myself am black. I get two black customers a week average. 75% of my custy's are brown, (hispanic if we are getting past the crayon descriptions..) And of those hispanics, 50% percent of them don't speak english, and I am forced to say 'No habla ESPANOL' when they start ordering in Spanish. F'n annoying. It all depends where your @ dorpus.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Awesome Mr Ethan, 10 Nov 2006 @ 2:20pm

    YES

    The King is my idol. I will see this movie one hundred times.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Betaflame, 10 Nov 2006 @ 3:00pm

    Xbox games?

    Am i the only one old enough to remember the McDonalds nintendo game where you got to play as Ronald?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      paphia, 10 Nov 2006 @ 3:46pm

      Re: Xbox games?

      oh yeah I remember the McDonald's nintendo game....vaguely though, it was disturbing!

      that game was one of the first things I thought of when I was reading this article. are there / have there been any other food brand games like that?

      in our country's present pc/health/sue friendly society, would there be parent groups decrying that such a game is responsible for kids being overweight?

      would they make the same claims against a movie?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    txjump, 10 Nov 2006 @ 3:37pm

    ugh

    the king character is just wrong and and the commercials are creapy!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    misanthropic humanist, 10 Nov 2006 @ 4:51pm

    surely a joke!

    This is the most disturbing and creepy thing I've heard all week.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    dorpus, 10 Nov 2006 @ 6:32pm

    i LuV dArK mEaT

    Not that there's anything wrong. I live a mile away from a wal-mart where 80% of the people are black. About half the people in my apartment complex are black. About half the students at my school are black.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 11 Nov 2006 @ 1:21am

    Do Burger king commercials even appeal to white people? I was under the impression that there marketing was 100% targeted toward black-american culture.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Tyler Wyatt, 13 Nov 2006 @ 9:33am

    what up

    i love Buger King it is the most alsomest place ever

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    suprod, 21 Feb 2007 @ 6:37pm

    Burger King food is far superior to McDonalds food. I don't even care if it has the infamous "N word" flame broiled right on the hamburger patty, I still love it.

    Of course, In 'N Out makes the best fast food in the universe. If you disagree with that statement, go suck it.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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