You have to love the piece inAdAge that Burger King franchisees are up in arms about a couple of things, first, they’re against offering a ONE DOLLAR double cheese burger… Well yeah, I’d be against buying a fucking one dollar cheeseburger. Can you imagine what would be in it for them to make even the smallest profit? More importantly, the franchisees want the sexual and racial content of the Boulder Fart Boy’s creative genius to be toned down. Burger King CMO Russ Klein, has promised less offensive ads, acknowledging that some ads caused offense and have damaged the brand. "Burger King Corporation acknowledges the regrettable but unintended public narrative, reflecting perceptions of some of our patrons, with gratuitous or offensive use of sexual innuendo in a series of various advertisements that have inadvertently reflected negatively on the brand -- and that the advertising will be managed more conservatively with a keen sensitivity accordingly." Here’s the best fucking bit… "Alex Bogusky and I have a clear and mutual understanding of the need for the brand to tone down creative execution in this regard. ... While what is a decidedly more edgy/breakthrough approach to our brand advertising will remain." Oh dear, I don’t care how much you spit shine that last bit… If I was CP+B, I’d get my fucking head down for the next few months and start making BK ads as fucking bad as the other fast food shit they churn out. This one’s definitely worth watching.
So Alex came up with this awesome give away promotion for the one dollar cheeseburger. All the guys think he's a fucking genius!
"Alex Bogusky and I have a clear and mutual understanding …"
seems like a spanking was delivered… i guess the follow up to the blow job ad, the "buy 2 and get a happy ending" campaign will not see the light of day… too bad…
i wonder if Microsoft will attempt that "clear and mutual understanding" thing next?
Posted by: the lower depths | July 12, 2009 at 02:28 PM
Just goes to show advertisers that even CP+B doesn't have a monopoly on the truth. They are just as fucked up as everyone else with the exception that the general discourse is that they aren't.
Perhaps they are still riding the Subservient Chicken train.
Good for them. At least they have something to ride on.
Posted by: oy | July 12, 2009 at 06:24 PM
I really regret being in this business. It's no longer about ideas. Fear and technology rule.
Posted by: ad scribe | July 12, 2009 at 08:14 PM
"Alex Bogusky and I have a clear and mutual understanding …"
seems like a spanking was delivered…
Ha! It's gonna be curtains for the fag boys, very, very soon.
Posted by: Godot. | July 12, 2009 at 08:21 PM
Someone should start the CP+B Loses BK Clock.
Posted by: Oy | July 12, 2009 at 08:45 PM
I'm still shocked, honestly, that CP*B didn't recommend customers start asking for BK value menus (sandwich, fries, drink) with the line "I'd like to have a threesome with the King."
Posted by: Windy City Smartass | July 13, 2009 at 08:01 AM
they were saving that for the next BestBuy campaign:
"buy your next laptop here and take the 2 checkout girls of your choice home for the night…"
but seeing as how the "understanding" came about, BestBuy cancelled the exploratory and Alex had to send the sample girls home on his dime…
Posted by: the lower depths | July 13, 2009 at 11:21 AM
"It's gonna be curtains for the fag boys, very, very soon."
Way to be classy, Godot. Weren't you in "Bruno?"
And for those predicting (or hoping) that Crispin will lose Burger King, keep dreaming. Yeah, sales may be down, but there's no denying that the agency has reinvigorated the brand and made it relevant again after decades of uninspired advertising.
(And don't forget that most of the ads that have caused so much controversy for Burger King were not produced by Crispin.)
If Burger King were to yank the account from Crispin, who would they give it to? Can you honestly name one agency out there that could do a better job?
I'm not a Crispin fanboy, but you have to give credit where credit is due.
Posted by: Steve Randall | July 14, 2009 at 09:05 AM
Fallon, Goodby, Weiden, KesselsKramer, Attik…
that's 5, by my reckoning… but you're right, why pull the plug just yet?
Posted by: the lower depths | July 14, 2009 at 09:40 AM
Ten years ago, Fallon, Goodby or Weiden would have been inspired choices. Today, not so much. And I say that as someone who has admired much of the work they've produced in the past -- emphasis on "past."
All three agencies are, to one degree or another, mere shadows of their former greatness. Fallon in particular seems to be flirting with oblivion. Weiden's new work for Levi's manages to be both crass and pretentious. Goodby has had Denny's for a while now and haven't done anything decent yet.
(Can't really speak to your choice of KesselsKramer or Attik as I am not familiar enough with their overall body of work.)
It's not like everything Crispin touches turns to gold. Their recent campaigns for Domino's and Old Navy, to name just two, demonstrate that they are just as capable of churning out work that's mediocre -- or worse -- as any BDA.
Still, despite the occasional misstep, their work for Burger King has set a high standard that any other agency would have a hard time matching.
Crispin's had the account for, what, five years or so? With sales only slumping for the last few months, I'd say, yeah, it is premature to pull the plug just yet.
Posted by: Steve Randall | July 14, 2009 at 10:50 AM
so then we're talking about CPB being a shadow of themselves as well, all things considered, with the missteps of Domino's, Old Navy, let's not forget Microsoft and Miller, those choices are still good choices… look up Kessels : http://www.kesselskramer.com/ (keep clicking on the weblink, every time you go there, it's a different page) and Attik : http://www.attik.com/, i think you'll like what you find…
but let's face it, in this climate EVERY agency is going to keep their heads down and dare to be average so as not to end up on the wrong side of that "we need to have a serious brand conversation" conversation…
Posted by: the lower depths | July 15, 2009 at 04:57 AM
Thanks for the links, Lower Depths. I'll be sure to check them out.
Can't say I agree with Crispin being a shadow of its former self. Yeah, Domino's and Old Navy sucks (although apparently Old Navy's sales are up 3%) and VW is a mixed bag at best. But despite playing a bit fast and loose with the truth (then again, what advertising doesn't?), the new Microsoft campaign seems to be shifting consumer perceptions and preferences. And Hulu has been a big success. So was Burger King -- at least, up until recently, when their strategy of focusing on white males 18-25 to the exclusion of almost everybody seems to have backfired.
So, no, Crispin's work may not be as consistently
excellent as, say, Weiden's or Goodby's work was from the late 80s until the early part of this decade. But their batting average is still about the best around -- not so much because they are so great but because Goodby, Weiden, et al aren't hitting them out of the park as much as they used to.
And things will only get worse. You are absolutely right when you point out the reduced appetite for risk these days. In the climate of fear created by these uncertain times, clients and agencies alike are less likely to stick their necks out lest they have them lopped off.
Posted by: Steve Randall | July 15, 2009 at 09:09 AM
Good work, thanks for sharing this information!!
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