A Surprising New King Reigns in Burger King’s Oscars Ad

The McDonald’s Big Arch mishap accidentally set the stage for Burger King’s self-aware Oscars ad.

Earlier in March, after McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski went viral for struggling to eat his own burger, Burger King posted a TikTok of its U.S. and Canada president, Tom Curtis, enthusiastically chomping on a Whopper. Wendy’s and KFC swiftly followed.

The timing was “fortuitous,” Burger King CMO Joel Yashinsky told ADWEEK. That’s because the brand already had the video ready to go, having recently shot content for a pivot that puts diners back at the heart of Burger King’s marketing.

On Feb. 17, well before Kempczinski’s hesitant nibble went viral, Curtis shared his real phone number—305-874-0520—online and invited customers to send suggestions. He’s received 30,000 messages so far and has personally replied to 2,000. By Feb. 26, Burger King had already acted on some of this feedback, updating the bun on its flame-grilled Whopper and rolling out a new squish-proof box for the sandwich.

Yashinsky, who joined Burger King last year from Applebee’s, said the chatter around fast-food CEOs had undeniably “sped up” engagement around the brand’s new mission.

Fresh from retiring what Yashinsky described as its “creepy” King Mascot, and with Curtis having laid the groundwork for Burger King’s new “guest-led” platform, the brand used Sunday night’s Oscars to speak directly to America in a 90-second commercial. “There’s a New King, and It’s You,” it declared.

Spanning seven decades, the self-aware ad mixes classic Burger King commercials with scenes of people tucking into its meals.

The commercial is narrated by Curtis: “There was a time Burger King used to be King. Every meal felt special. Because you felt special. It was great, but somehow, somewhere, fast food just fell off, including us. And that’s not good. So we started listening. I even gave my number out.”

He recounts the common complaints—”old restaurants, slow service, simple mistakes”—as TikTok reviews flash on the screen. “So we fired the King, and found you. Reinvesting nationwide, one restaurant, one team, one burger at a time. When we say you rule, we mean it, and we’re just getting started.”

Although its Big Arch CEO review fell flat, McDonald’s reigns supreme as the world’s most valuable fast-food brand. According to Brand Finance, McDonald’s brand value stands at around $42.6 billion, with Burger King’s at $4.8 billion.

McDonald’s U.S. same‑store sales have been growing at a healthier clip too, climbing about 6.8 % in the most recent quarter, propelled by a focus on value. In the same period, Burger King’s U.S. comps rose a more modest 2.6 %.

A ‘brand for everyone’

The campaign is the culmination of four years of work by the Burger King team, according to Yashinsky, who joined less than 12 months ago. The changes span more than 300 restaurants, with technology upgrades rolled out across more than 1,000 sites, and bringing back its cinnamon apple pies, all in the name of resetting the customer experience.

Now, it’s time to communicate these improvements and position Burger King as a “brand for everyone” that takes pride in its food, the marketer said. “This is a kickoff ad, and this platform will lead us through 2026 into 2027 and perhaps beyond.”

For him, Burger King’s Oscars play is about shifting perceptions. “We do expect there to be a bump in terms of restaurant visits as well as a sales impact too,” he said.

And will he ever bring The King back?

“No, as long as I’m here, he’s been fired,” Yashinsky said.