Editing The Burger King (section)

== History of the Burger King Character ==
'''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.