Discussing Burger King’s King mascot, Adam Carolla once noted that actors in the ads reacted strangely to the appearance of the King in their homes. Instead of being nonchalant, Carolla suggested, they should yell something along the lines of: "Who is this madman? Get him out of my house!" So, give Crispin Porter + Bogusky points for verisimilitude in this latest BK ad: At least here the King evokes something of a normal reaction. "Stop that King. He’s crazy!" yells one man, as the King, shown in an office setting, busts a window, starts a fire and pushes an employee out the way. The King really is crazy here. He jumps off a building and lands (safely) in a dumpster. But the King also means well. He presents another worker with a fresh Steakhouse XT burger just before the men in white suits tackle him. This spot isn’t likely to prompt me to try the new offering, but I do applaud this new story line. In future installments, how about the King in a straightjacket? Or maybe give him the Hannibal Lecter treatment. After all, that burger would probably go well with fava beans and a nice Chianti.
—Posted by Todd Wasserman