It is common practice in the fast food business to develop tie-ins with movies, television shows, and related products with an appeal to young people and families and to do so by offering toys, games, and other products connecting the fast food store to the popular film, program, or character. However, there is also a danger in doing this because such tie-ins are often made long before the release of a movie and so may fail if the movie is not popular. In other cases, some different issue may arise to throw the campaign in a bad light. In the case of the recent problem facing Burger King with its tie-in to the Pokemon characters, the problem was in the packaging. The tiny images of the Pokemon characters were delivered in plastic eggs which, if played with by very young children, could cover the child's mouth and nose and bring about suffocation. This is a nightmare for a company with a family-oriented image, and the public relations response is vitally important. The public relations campaign changed from one of enticing people into the stores with the Pokemon toys to assuring the public that the problem would be corrected immediately.
Burger King Corporation started in a small Miami restaurant and today has more than 9,000 locations in every state and in more than 50 countries. The company features the Whopper and the BK Broiler sandwich as well as traditional fast-food fare such as fries, shakes, and soft drinks. Advertising is considered integral to the success of the company and has developed a number of memorable campaigns. The company was founded in 1954 by James McLamore and David Edgerton. The Whopper was introduced in 1957 and was an immediate success. The BK Broiler was a grilled chicken sandwich introduced in 1990 and has also been highly successful, though the Whopper remains the store favorite. One element in the success of the company has been the sale of franchises. Restaurant decor has also been consid...