The Burger King
| The Burger King | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Vital statistics | |
| Names | The Burger King |
| Gender | Male |
| Race | Human |
| Occupation | King |
| Origin | Sign at Burger King restaurant in Miami, Florida 1955 |
| Alignment | Good |
| Age | Varies |
| Created By | Burger King |
| Height | Varies |
| Weight | Not Stated |
The Burger King character has been an enduring mascot for the Burger King fast-food chain since its inception in 1955. Initially appearing as part of the signage at the first restaurant in Miami, Florida, the character evolved over the decades into various forms.
In the early 1970s, a smaller, animated version of the King was introduced for children's advertising, voiced by Allen Swift. By 1976, this version was replaced with the "Marvelous Magical Burger King," a red-bearded king in Tudor-style attire who performed magic tricks, often using his "Magic Ring" to conjure up food. This magical iteration of the King existed within the "Burger King Kingdom," but these advertisements were phased out in the late 1980s in favor of other campaigns, including the BK Kids Club Gang.
In 2003, the Miami-based advertising agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky (CP+B) reimagined the King character, creating a new version that became known as "the Creepy King" due to his exaggerated and uncanny appearance. While this campaign generated considerable attention, it failed to deliver a consistent brand message, leading to the termination of CP+B's contract with Burger King in 2010. Following this, the King character was retired in 2011.
However, the King made a return in 2015, reappearing as part of Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s entourage at the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight and later at the Belmont Stakes, standing behind Bob Baffert, American Pharoah's trainer. The King continued to feature in subsequent campaigns, including those promoting new products like "Mac and Cheetos" and flame-grilled Whoppers from 2017 onward.
History of the Burger King Character[edit | edit source]
1960s–1980s During the late 1960s to early 1970s, Burger King introduced a small, animated version of the King character in its children's advertising. Voiced by Allen Swift, this King would visit Burger King outlets in a series of commercials, often presenting children with small gifts or food. The commercials promoted the slogan "Burger King, where kids are king!" In 1973, the King even met Cap'n Crunch, which led to promotional collaborations between the two brands.
In 1976, the animated King was replaced by the "Marvelous Magical Burger King," a red-bearded, Tudor-era king played by Dick Gjonola. This version of the King ruled the "Burger King Kingdom" and performed magic tricks with the help of a "Magic Ring." He was usually accompanied by children and other characters like "Sir Shake-a-Lot," the "Burger Thing," the "Duke of Doubt," and the robotic "Wizard of Fries." This campaign was a parallel to McDonald's McDonaldland commercials featuring similar mascot characters. By the late 1980s, the Burger King Kingdom campaign was discontinued in favor of ads featuring the BK Kids Club Gang.
2004–2011 In 2003, Miami-based advertising firm Crispin Porter + Bogusky (CP+B) took over Burger King's advertising and introduced a new version of the King, known simply as "the King." This iteration featured an oversized, grinning mask based on a 1970s version of the King, found by a CP+B employee on eBay. The King would appear in unexpected places—such as in bed with people or behind doors—offering them Burger King food. This version, nicknamed "the Creepy King," generated significant word of mouth due to its viral marketing approach. However, due to sluggish sales and customer aversion, particularly among women and children, this version of the King was retired in 2011 in favor of a "food-centric" marketing approach.
2015–Present The King character returned in May 2015 when Burger King paid $1 million for him to be included in Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s entourage during his fight with Manny Pacquiao. Subsequently, the King appeared in a commercial promoting the return of $1.49 chicken nuggets in June 2015. The King was also featured during the 2015 Belmont Stakes, standing behind horse trainer Bob Baffert after Burger King paid $200,000 for the appearance, a deal that followed Baffert's rejection of a $150,000 offer for the 2015 Preakness Stakes. The King reappeared with Baffert in 2018 when Baffert became the second trainer to win two Triple Crowns with Justify.
Video Game Appearances of the Burger King Character[edit | edit source]
First Appearance in "Fight Night Round 3" (2006): The Burger King character first appeared in a video game in "Fight Night Round 3," a boxing game by EA Sports, released for the Xbox 360 in February 2006. In this game, the King could be featured as the in-ring round guy, and he was also selectable as the player's boxing manager.
Burger King Video Games (2006): In October 2006, Burger King announced the release of three exclusive video games for the Xbox and Xbox 360 consoles, featuring the King and other mascots, such as the Subservient Chicken. The three games were:
- Pocketbike Racer: A minibike racing game where mascots, including the King, compete against each other.
- Big Bumpin': A bumper car game featuring the mascots.
- Sneak King: A third-person perspective stealth game where players control the King, who must sneak up on hungry people and offer them Burger King products, with points awarded based on the creativity of the delivery.
The games were available at Burger King restaurants from November 19 to December 24, 2006, for $3.99 each (or $4.99 in Canada) with the purchase of a value meal. All three games received an "E for Everyone" rating from the ESRB but generally received low ratings from various game critics.
Mobile Games (2008): In 2008, a series of Burger King-themed mobile games were developed by Mobliss, a Seattle-based mobile content provider. These games were promoted in U.S. locations on menus and packaging. The first game aimed to have players become the King's protégé by facing challenges and progressing in a virtual Burger King-themed city. The games could be purchased and downloaded via SMS shortcode and were available on all major U.S. carriers, including Sprint Nextel, AT&T Mobility, Verizon Wireless, Alltel, and T-Mobile.
