Burger King Corp. Beams up Movie Tie-Ins with Paramount Pictures

Burger King
Published: May 4th, 2009

Brand and Studio Entertainment Partnership Drives New Creative around Trifecta of Summer Blockbusters:Star Trek, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and G.I. JOE: The Rise of Cobra

Miami,(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Burger King Corp. (NYSE:BKC) announced today an unprecedented partnership with Paramount Pictures, jam-packed with original entertainment and activation spanning the summer movie season. Beginning today with Star Trek (release May 8) and continuing with Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (June 24) and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (Aug. 7), this partnership marks an evolution of an ongoing alliance between Burger King Corp. and Paramount Pictures that takes movie marketing to new levels.

"We consistently strive to push the boundaries of our movie marketing, taking our activation beyond mere sponsorship," said Russ Klein, president, global marketing, strategy and innovation, Burger King Corp. "We see ourselves as a brand that likes to experiment in creating pop culture. We always want to give our customers, who are also movie fans, an unexpected experience and the strong Paramount film slate this summer affords us that opportunity." This partnership marks the first time that Burger King Corp. has committed to promote exclusively with one movie studio during the key summer promotional period. Likewise, Paramount Pictures has never engaged in three consecutive movie tie-ins with the same brand.

"Burger King Corp. has been a consistently innovative partner for Paramount releases, having been a part of three of the biggest movies of the last two years - Transformers, Iron Man, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," said Rob Moore, vice chairman, Paramount Pictures. "We are excited to further that partnership with these three new films."

Burger King Corp. has developed everything from never-before-seen original entertainment to top-to-bottom promotional offerings in support of each feature film. These include:

Star Trek

• New supporting BK(R) characters: Star Trek fans will meet the "Kingons" - an advanced alien race that is half Klingon, half King. In new adult television advertising spots, Burger King Corp. will reveal the "Kingons," who are on an unstoppable mission to acquire the new BK(R) STAR TREK glasses. The kid's national advertising spot, directed by Richard Sears along with the film's Director of Photography, Dan Mindel (Mission Impossible 3), was shot on the same "bridge" set from the new movie. The spot also features Star Trek uniforms that were designed by the film's costume designer, Brenda Ware.
• Kingon Defense Academy Web Site: The Kingons will reappear at www.whenkingonsattack.com, where fans can learn how to defend themselves if a Kingon attempts to take their BK(R) STAR TREK glass. Launching on May 4, the site features a series of instructional videos giving viewers a variety of tactics to protect their coveted glasses.
• Limited edition collectibles: Four limited-edition collectible glasses featuring one of four iconic Star Trek characters - Kirk, Spock, Uhura and Nero. Designed exclusively for BURGER KING(R) restaurants by the Star Trek creative team, the high quality frosted glasses are enclosed in a collectible box and available for a suggested price of $1.99 each with the purchase of any adult BK(R) Value Meal at participating restaurants, while supplies last.
• BK(R) Kids Meals Premiums: Families can also discover star and bolt-shaped CHICKEN TENDERS(R) developed in tandem with the Star Trek movie promotion in BK(R) Kids Meals. BK(R) Kids Meals will also include one of 16 all-sound Star Trek toys.* The toys highlight the characters, technology, iconic sounds and famous phrases from the film, and taps into the fun and adventure of exploring uncharted territories.

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen

• Transform Your Way(TM): Starting June 22, fans can look forward to the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen promotion, which will give guests the chance to take home a range of prizes, from $1 million cash** to a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro to movie passes and instant-win food items like the CROISSAN'WICH(R) and WHOPPER(R) sandwich. As part of the Transform Your Way(TM) scratch-and-win game, game pieces will be available on specially marked menu items. BURGER KING(R) will also give guests a second chance to win at bktransformers.com, where consumers can navigate interactive online applications to enter daily for a chance to win $10,000.
• New BK BBQ DOUBLE STACKTICON(TM) sandwich: The BURGER KING(R) menu will undergo a transformation with this new sandwich. Available for a limited time only for a suggested retail price starting at $2.79 the Transformers-inspired burger allows guests to stack multiple burger patties, bacon, sauce and cheese similar in theme to the "combining" of Transformers characters in the upcoming film.
• Advertising by film director Michael Bay: Blockbuster director, Michael Bay, directed the national kid's television advertising spots that will turn the BURGER KING(R) dining experience on its head. In addition, each BK(R) Kids Meal will come with one of eight Transformers toys that bring the beloved characters and vehicles from the movie to life.*

G.I. Joe: Rise Of The Cobra

• G.I. Joe BK(R) Kids Meals premiums: Beginning July 27, Burger King Corp. enlists G.I. Joe for an elite mission. The G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra promotion features a kids premium program filled with gadgets, action figures and vehicles that offer the ultimate adventure. Each BK(R) Kids Meal will come with one of eight G.I. Joe toys.*

"All three of these feature films boast a huge loyal fan base and have carved out a permanent place in pop culture," added Klein. "Partnering with Paramount has allowed us to go beyond the typical tie-in property sponsorship to create all-encompassing entertainment and promotions that offer our restaurant guests a real piece of the action - in-restaurant, on their televisions, and online. Likewise, the creativity and innovation we bring to the partnership add value to the studios' movie marketing effort."

*One toy per Kids Meal. While supplies last at participating BK(R) restaurants.

**NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Game ends 07/19/09. Official rules and free game piece info posted in participating restaurants and at www.bktransformers.com. Void where prohibited.

About Burger King Corporation

The BURGER KING(R) system operates more than 11,800 restaurants in all 50 states and in 74 countries and U.S. territories worldwide. Approximately 90 percent of BURGER KING(R) restaurants are owned and operated by independent franchisees, many of them family-owned operations that have been in business for decades. In 2008, Fortune magazine ranked Burger King Corp. among America's 1,000 largest corporations and Ad Week named it one of the top three industry-changing advertisers within the last three decades.

About Paramount Pictures Corporation

Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA. B), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The company's labels include Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Digital Entertainment, Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., Paramount Studio Group, and Worldwide Television Distribution.

SOURCE: Burger King Corp.