Burger King admits it has made mistakes over the past few years: from run-down restaurants to inconsistent food to a disturbing brand mascot. The company has been addressing these problems since it launched the “Reclaim the Flame” strategic plan in 2022, and whose improvements have been communicated in an advertisement, broadcast during the Oscars celebration, which proposes a relaunch of Burger King in the US market.

The spot, created together with the agency BarkleyOKRP, marks the launch of a new brand platform, called “There’s a New King & it’s You.” This refers to the improvements that the company has been implementing in recent months under an active listening approach and after receiving feedback from consumers themselves. Furthermore, as part of a marketing initiative, Tom Curtis, President of the company in the United States and Canada, opened a telephone line to personally address customer complaints, comments and suggestions.

It is precisely Curtis who narrates this new advertisement, which takes place in three acts and combines archival images with current ones to the rhythm of the song “Baba O’Riley” by The Who. It begins with a reflection on the network’s golden years in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s, followed by describing a period of decline. “There was a time when Burger King was king. Every meal felt special. Because you felt special. It was great, but somehow, at some point, fast food declined, including us. And that’s not good. So we started listening. I even gave my phone number“, comments the manager.

In the third act, the advertisement highlights the investments that the brand has made in various areas, to improve its perception and experience. This includes, among other things, the improvement of its iconic Whopper. The ad begins and ends with images of the same man eating a hamburger, symbolizing Burger King’s intention to regain its glory and return to its roots.

The ad takes advantage of the popularity that Tom Curtis has gained after starring in some of the brand’s campaigns. And in addition to being the face of the company’s customer service, the manager also served as Burger King’s particular response to the video of Chris Kempczinski, CEO of McDonald’s, presenting the new “Big Arch” and which went viral due to his apparent discomfort when tasting the burger.

The new advertisement represents the materialization of the improvements made within the framework of “Reclaim the Flame” which has focused on fundamental aspects of the customer experience: brand perception; a high-quality menu offering at affordable prices; attractive and relevant advertising; a high-quality modernization of our restaurants; and an overall improvement in service and execution.

One of the changes is the elimination of the King of Burger King mascot, even though it has not been the protagonist of the brand’s advertising for several years. It was first introduced by the Crispin Porter & Bogusky agency in 2003, but over the last decade it has become a controversial figure by arousing negative feelings in the audience.

The plan, which has had an approximate investment of 700 million dollars, has included a material deployment, such as new kitchen equipment, restaurant renovations and technological improvements; and also a transformation of the methodology, through greater attention to execution and focus on operational excellence.

In this sense, the mission of the advertisement and the new platform is to communicate the improvements and position Burger King as a brand for everyone that takes pride in its food. It will be the communication roadmap for at least 2026 and 2027. The intention is to change consumer perception and transform it into an increase in visits to restaurants and, therefore, also an increase in sales.

“The point of the ad is to say that something is happening at Burger King, and I need to know what it is.”, commented Joel Yashinsky, Marketing Director of Burger King to the magazine. Restaurant Business. “And I think the ad does it in a very truthful and honest way.”.