Burger King brings royalty to the UK

Burger King is introducing its iconic King character from its US advertising to the UK market in a brand building initiative.

The initiative comes as the fast food company is bought by private equity firm 3G Capital in a deal said to be valued at $3.26bn (£2.1bn).

The King character will be used as part of the integrated campaign to launch Burger Kings new ‘Taste is King’ strapline. The campaign follows The King on a trek around the country and uses a cast of over 200 people in iconic locations, including Abbey Road and Hadrian’s Wall.

The company says that it is a departure from the chain’s usual product-led advertising. A teaser campaign depicting The King has been running in Metro and the 60 second television ad breaks on ITV1 on Saturday night during The X Factor. The campaign has been created by Crispin Porter + Bogusky

The King will embark on an experiential UK tour throughout September, visiting London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The tour also ties in with the social media elements of the campaign, including a ‘Spot The King’ competition, geo-specific online banner advertising and Foursquare integration.