Search
+
    The Economic Times daily newspaper is available online now.

    Why Burger King's Belgium advertising campaign didn't go down well with the royal family

    Synopsis

    Burger King reportedly managed to broil more than just burgers in the country.

    ET Bureau
    THE FAST FOOD JOINT?

    Yes.

    WHAT ABOUT IT?

    Just before opening their joint in Belgium, Burger King managed to irritate the royal family of the country.

    WHY?

    The king of Belgium is apparently not amused with a Burger King ad.

    WHAT KINDA AD?

    The advertising campaign playfully challenges King Philippe's reign as the company plans to expand abroad.

    Image article boday


    AN ADVERTISING STUNT?

    Exactly. Burger King earned more than its share of media coverage for the campaign poking fun at Philippe while promoting the opening of its first restaurant in the European nation. The 'Who's the King?' homepage asked visitors to choose between the real man and Burger King. But all interested parties quickly learned that one could not, in fact, pick Philippe.

    NOT FOLLOWING YOU HERE.

    The campaign asked people to choose between the reigning monarch and the fast-food titan in a 'Who’s the king' contest. A message on the site reads: 'Two Kings. One crown. Who will rule?'

    AND YOU VOTE?

    Yes. If a user chooses Burger King, no more prompts appear. If they choose Philippe, they get asked twice whether they are sure — and the second time, the only option is 'no'.

    POKING FUN IS NOT ALLOWED, RIGHT?

    Apparently not. A spokesperson for the family said that one is not allowed to use the monarch's likeness without their approval.

    WHAT NOW?

    Burger King Belgium completed its PR stunt by pretending it had lost to the legitimate monarch in a narrow, completely fictional vote, 51% to 49%. It then announced plans to abdicate its own throne and the title of king in a final, irreverent gesture toward the royal family.

    CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF A PR STUNT GONE WRONG.

    Exactly. Burger King reportedly managed to broil more than just burgers here.

    (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2024 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.)

    Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online.

    ...more

    (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2024 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.)

    Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online.

    ...more
    The Economic Times

    Stories you might be interested in