The King is DEAD

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/story/2011/08/Burger-King-freshens-fast-food-image-kicks-King-to-the-curb/50046768/1


In the first of many steps to reinvent itself over the next year, the struggling fast-feeder Friday will announce that it's dethroning the creepy King character — and other wacky, teen-targeting stuff — and refocusing on a customer it had all but forgotten: Mom.
In a new ad campaign set to air this weekend, Burger King will nationally roll out the California Whopper on Monday, made with what's arguably the gastronomic trend of 2011: guacamole. In a serious image twist, the entire commercial shows only the sights and sounds of the fresh ingredients being washed, sliced and diced. There are no words, just pulsating music.
Industry experts say the move may be Burger King's best bet of giving Ronald McDonald any hint of competition. In a world where Cheesecake Factory now has a low-cal menu and even Sizzler touts the freshness of its grub, Burger King is latching onto the all-critical fresh-and-healthy-food factor.
"Call it the Whole Foods effect," says Ron Paul, president of consulting firm Technomic. Target's bragging about fresh food, he notes. 7-Eleven's touting it. And Subway's made billions from that premise. "Fresh is it," Paul says.
But under new ownership, Burger King has yet another new CEO, marketing chief and agency. Perhaps the most consistent thing for BK over the past two decades has been its inconsistency.
"People want a reason to go back to Burger King," says Alex Macedo, senior marketing vice president. By spending the next year fixing the food, modernizing stores and updating its image, the No. 2 burger chain will convince folks it's time to return, he says. "There are no plans to bring the King back anytime soon," he adds.
The first ads tout the limited-time California Whopper ($4.49, with guacamole, Swiss cheese and bacon) and a re-intro of the Breakfast Croissan'wich.
Behind the effort is Burger King's new agency, McGarryBowen, which is the cosmic opposite of its former edgy agency, Crispin Porter + Bogusky.
"We're re-igniting the latent feeling that people have about Burger King," says Gordon Bowen, chief creative officer at McGarryBowen.
That won't be easy. The chain's same-store sales were down 6% in the first quarter, while McDonald's were up nearly 3%, Technomic says.
When it comes to matters of perceived fast-food quality, Burger King not only lags behind McDonald's but Subway and even KFC, says Robert Passikoff, president of Brand Keys, which surveys consumers on preferences.
"There was a time when price value was king," says Passikoff. "Now, healthy choice and quality drive the category."

And there was much rejoicing...























Except at exact's house...

i'm sure there will be a new king pic coming right about....................now

My condolences, Exact....

It's funny, when you read the comments on that article everyone uses the same word to describe The King character..."creepy". I've thought that ever since they introduced him.







And exact only further entrenched that opinion.

But his spirit lives on here at HoM in Exact's signature.

E33 even had to visit the King at some point.

Somebody keep all sharp instruments away from exact.

tohostudios wrote:

Somebody keep all sharp instruments away from exact.

Good idea - any doctors that can prescribe a good anti-depressant to him on the board?

I don't eat at Burger King... or McDonalds

cha!! Its only a marketing move! TheKing and his legion of fans will never die!!!

remember:

exact33 wrote:

GrandNational wrote:

E33 even had to visit the King at some point.

That is AWESOME!

They should just bring back that gwar/lordi lookalike rock band they had.

Sutekh wrote:

exact33 wrote:

GrandNational wrote:

E33 even had to visit the King at some point.

That is AWESOME!

I only use it in the gravest of emergencies... or when toho annoys me too much..

Hadley wrote:

They should just bring back that gwar/lordi lookalike rock band they had.

got ya covered!!

exact33 wrote:

Hadley wrote:

They should just bring back that gwar/lordi lookalike rock band they had.

got ya covered!!

Now i want to see Lordi endorsing burger king!
"Rock and Roll angels, eating a whopper with cheese!"
Then they can start attacking other fast food joints:
"Ronald is a loser and he's my *****"
"Who's your daddy, wendy, who's your daddy?"

The King and Ronald McDonald are going into retirement together.

Troublezone wrote:

The King and Ronald McDonald are going into retirement together.

The real story is they where filmed in a threesome with Wendy and BK wants to get rid of the image before the video hits the web

thejokeriv wrote:

Troublezone wrote:

The King and Ronald McDonald are going into retirement together.

The real story is they where filmed in a threesome with Wendy and BK wants to get rid of the image before the video hits the web

the real story is that Col. Sanders owns that advertising agency and is trying to eliminate the competition

thejokeriv wrote:

Troublezone wrote:

The King and Ronald McDonald are going into retirement together.

The real story is they where filmed in a threesome with Wendy and BK wants to get rid of the image before the video hits the web

Are you sure? I think the King is straight while Ronald always struck me as:

I've always found exact's "King" parodies to be way funnier than the actual King commercials.

Fat Freddy wrote:

I've always found exact's "King" parodies to be way funnier than the actual King commercials.

X2 - his stuff isn;t as creepy as the commercials!

Fat Freddy wrote:

I've always found exact's "King" parodies to be way funnier than the actual King commercials.

Yeah, the commercials were always slightly off base it seemed. Like that one where he was chasing the guy through his house in the middle of the night with a Whopper. How in the f*** is THAT supposed to make me want to go to Burger King?

Fat Freddy wrote:

I've always found exact's "King" parodies to be way funnier than the actual King commercials.

I am amazed in all these years I havent received a cease and desist order.

The Hall of Mountain Burger King has got me thinking of doing TheKing throughout classic rock/metal covers. I have already done AC/DC Highway to Hell and Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell (backcover), Ratt - Dancing Undercover and am now thinking of new ideas.