The story goes that an executive at Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Burger King's advertising agency, came across an oversized plastic king head on eBay and bought it. The head was supposed to inspire the ad campaign but instead became the ad campaign. The giant-sized persona may provoke vague unease among many adults and frighten small children. "He's a little controversial, a little eerie, a little creepy looking. but he's effective," says Mr. West. So while new managers might like to toss the king onto the flame-broiler to, you know, bring his head down to size, they probably won't because he seems to be hip with the 18- to 30-year-old males on which Burger King relies.
Business Wire/File
