It's the most wonderful time of the year, a time for wholesome festive cheer, but Burger King UK is saying screw the sap with a new myth-busting ad. As part of its latest 'highjacking Christmas' campaign, the chain has released a provocative ad featuring Mr Claus himself, loosely suggesting his existence is a complete 'whopper'.
Not one for the kids, this playful ad is certainly a brave way to break through the Christmas cheer – let's hope the exposé hasn't killed any Christmas spirit. (For more crafty ad campaigns, take a look at our collection of the best billboard advertising examples).
The ad, created by creative agency BBH, depicts a traditionally clad Santa enjoying a Burger King meal. In typical festive fashion, snow falls outside and a Christmas tree lurks in the background, painting the picture of a regular festive scene. The ad is framed by bold text that reads "whoppers", playing with the word's dual meaning – referencing BK's iconic burger and the suggestion of a big juicy lie.
"A Whopper you can believe in," reads the post's caption, embellished with a winking emoji to imply the nonexistence of the mythical man. "Are you trying to imply Father Christmas is not real?" one Instagram user questions, while another comments "Cheers Burger King, kids crying."
The 'hijacking Christmas' campaign also features a spoof of the popular festive song 'Driving Home for Christmas' which has been reimagined as the catchy titled 'Driving (thru the) Home (of the Whopper) for Christmas'. Narrated by a text-to-speech sat nav, the parody directs listeners to their local Burger King drive-through. The concept is suitably ridiculous and conjured a brief exhale through the nose from me, so it's worth a watch for a little giggle.
Burger King consistently proves that it's the master of weird and wonderful campaigns, like these horrifying AI posters and the disturbing Babie meal from earlier this year. I look forward to seeing what chaotic campaigns it cooks up next.
