The Odd Yet Hilarious Way Burger King Promoted Its Chicken Fries
Think about how many advertisements we see on a daily basis. They're on social media, on TV, on the radio, on billboards, and on annoying flyers stuffed into our mailboxes. Because there are so many ads, businesses have to get creative — really creative — if they want us to take notice.
Burger King in particular has come up with a handful of creative, albeit weird, advertisements over the years. And hey, it works. For instance, you might remember when a clever Google-trolling Burger King ad backfired in 2017, prompting Google Home devices to read the Whopper's Wikipedia page until Google got wind and shut the ad down.
More recently, Burger King raised eyebrows in 2020 when it ran an ad featuring Mason Ramsey — the viral Walmart yodeler — and farting cows. Forbes jokingly described the ad as "just your run of the mill burger ad" bringing sustainability issues to consumers' attention. Again, people weren't particularly thrilled about the marketing tactic. This public displeasure continued with Burger King's Chicken Fries advertisement on Instagram.
Instagram isn't impressed with Burger King's Chicken Fries ad
In July 2022, Burger King posted an ad for its Chicken Fries on Instagram. The commercial featured two anthropomorphic hands at a pool, one sunbathing in a bikini, and one preparing to jump from the diving board. An order of chicken fries watches from the lifeguard tower. The caption reads, "Heart for honey mustard, comment for ketchup."
All in all, another weird ad, but pretty straightforward. However, Instagram users were not amused. Instead, many comments referred to Kevin Ford, a Las Vegas man who had worked for Burger King for 27 years as of July 2022 and never once missed a day. According to the New York Post, Ford received only a goodie basket containing a Starbucks cup, a single movie ticket, and some candy for his dedication and loyalty.
Outraged by the lack of appreciation for fast food employees, thousands of people donated to a Go Fund Me for Ford. The fundraiser has rewarded his 27 years of hard work with more than $384,000. In the meantime, Ford continues to work at Burger King and intends to set some of the money aside for his grandkids to go to college.