The Ch'King Sandwich Is the King's Worst Nightmare in BK's New Ad

“Will this cluckin’ nightmare end?!”

Acclaimed actor Paul Giamatti poses that question in his narration for Burger King’s latest wacky commercial. David Miami thrusts us into the fever dreams of the King himself, as he frets about the new Ch’King chicken sandwich.

“Oh no, did we just outdo the Whopper?” Giamatti asks, tongue oh-so-firmly in cheek, as the regent descends into a fowl maelstrom where BK diners cluck, dress like hens and chase him around in slow motion.

Maybe the King ate one of BK’s nightmare inducing sandwiches from a few years back, or nibbled on a moldy Whopper? At least clowns aren’t prowling his subconscious. Yet.

“It was interesting to go down memory lane and recast some of our favorite characters from past spots,” BK of North America vice president of marketing communications Richard Guest tells Muse. “We are so used to doing real unscripted reactions, but shooting this spot gave us a chance to have some fun with our own references and break our own rules a bit.”

It’s only a :60, but packed with cameos and Easter eggs. Ad nerds can probably guess which famous feathered freak shows up around the twenty-two-second mark. Dude’s not so subservient now!

Division7 director Kris Belman delivers the funny to introduce the Ch’King, which launches nationwide today. Fans who order on the chain’s app or website get a free Whopper, so they can determine which meal rates best.

As for Giamatti, “We were looking for the voice of the King’s regret, and Paul was just perfect for the part,” Guest recalls. “He has just the right amount of sarcasm for BK—by which we mean a lot!”

A Ch’King radio ad boasts a similarly tangy take from the Emmy nominee.

For more uncomfortable, potentially anxiety-inducing stuff from BK, peep these Brazilian print ads we wrote about yesterday. Sweet dreams!

CREDITS

BURGER KING “CH’KING”
Launch date: 6/3/21

Agency: DAVID Miami
Global CCO & Partner: Pancho Cassis
Global COO: Sylvia Panico
Managing Director: Ricardo Honegger
Chief Creative Officer: Rafael Donato
Executive Creative Director: Fernando Pellizzaro
Associate Creative Director: Alex Fox, Chris Serrano
Sr. Copywriter: Nellie Santee
Sr. Art Director: Sergio Takahata
Operations Coordinator: Larissa Cocchiaro
Global Chief Strategy Officer: Paula Vampre
Associate Strategy Director: Mel Lopez
Planner: Vanessa Amaral
Head of Accounts: Luiza Prata Carvalho
Account Director: Chad Cadelina 
Account Supervisor: Rachel Startz
Associate Account Executive: Regina Sanquintin
Executive Producer: Brenda Morrison Fell
Senior Producer: Ali Issari
Producer: Tomas Diego
Associate Producer: Margarita Castro
Senior Business Affairs Manager: Barbara Karalis
Business Affairs Manager: Elizabeth Torriente

CLIENT: Burger King

Production Company: division7, Los Angeles, USA
Director: Kris Belman
Executive Producer: David Richards / Kamila Prokop
Director of Photography :  Andrew Wheeler
Producer : Jon Dawes
Production Manager: Dannikke Walkker
Production Coordinator: Kelly Lee Lamb
Production Designer: Kate Bunch
1st AD: Lee Blaine

Production Company: Woodshop, Los Angeles, USA
Executive Producer: Sam Swisher
Producer: Ursula Camack
Director: Trevor Shepard
Food Stylist: Maelle Deshutter
Director of Photography: Tom Lazarevich

Editorial and Finishing: Cosmo Street Editorial
Editor ‘Nightmare’: Hugo Jordan
Editor ‘Pay No Attention’: Hugo Jordan
Editor ‘Nervous’: Justin Trovato
Assistant Editor: Alexandra Jimenez
Finishing Artist: Nico Cragnolino
Producer: Tina Evanow Wolske
Head of Production: Marie Mangahas
EP/ Managing Partner: Yvette Cobarrubias

Color: Apache
Colorist: Quinn Alvarez
Head of Production: Stefanie Schaldenbrand
EP/ Managing Partner: LaRue Anderson

Audio: Lime Studios
Mixer: Peter Lapinski
EP: Susie Boyajan

Media Agency: Horizon Media 
Director, Business Solutions: Mara Pluim
Director, Digital Activations: Brian Zai
Associate Director, Business Solutions: Jessie Ding
Supervisor, Business Solutions: Zoe Johnson

Brand Design Agency: Sterling Brands 
Chief Executive Officer: Susan Cantor
Chief Creative Officer: David Israel 
Design Director: Gabrielle Cuoccio
Strategy Director: Jenny McNichols
Senior Strategist: Jessica Hoffman 
Account Director: Jen Suberlak 

Social Agency: MullenLowe US
Executive Creative Director: Tim Vaccarino
Executive Creative Director: Dave Weist
SVP, Creative Director: Enrique Camacho
Associate Creative Director: Marcelo Maciel
Associate Creative Director: Renato Barreto
Senior Art Director: Jamie Morgan
Senior Copy Writer: Marisa Monaco
Content Producer: Maurice Loach
Senior Editor: Andrew Lee
Layout Artist: Nick Minieri, Mark Pingitore
Group Strategy Director: Mike Cassell
Senior Analyst: Maggie Carpenter
Community Manager: Chris Young
Senior Project Manager: Masahana Kato
Account Director: Cameron Burnham
Copy Editing: Xazmin Garza

PR Agency: Alison Brod Marketing + Communications
Senior Vice President: Brooke Scher Mogan
Vice President: Adrianna Lauricella
Director: Dara Schopp
Account Executive: Mollie Birer
Account Coordinator: Daryn Hughes