BK Chicken Fries#Coq Roq

BK Chicken Fries were introduced in 2005 as part of a menu expansion that was designed to cater to a more adult demographic looking for dishes that went beyond the standard fast food fare.{{Cite news |title=Burger Chains Get Chicken. |publisher=Motley Fool |url=http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2005/07/19/burger-chains-get-chicken.aspx |url-status=live |access-date=December 3, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605080531/http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2005/07/19/burger-chains-get-chicken.aspx |archive-date=June 5, 2011}}{{Cite news |date=June 3, 2005 |title=Burger King may offer chicken fries. |publisher=CNN |url=https://money.cnn.com/2005/06/03/news/midcaps/burger_king/?cnn=yes |url-status=live |access-date=December 3, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060427161908/http://money.cnn.com/2005/06/03/news/midcaps/burger_king/?cnn=yes |archive-date=April 27, 2006}}{{Cite news |last=Warner |first=Melanie |date=July 28, 2006 |title=U.S. Restaurant Chains Find There Is No Too Much. |work=New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/28/business/media/28adco.html |url-status=live |access-date=December 3, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110134031/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/28/business/media/28adco.html |archive-date=November 10, 2012}} At the time of the introduction, Burger King was targeting a demographic group it identified as the "super fan", a group consisting of males between the ages of 18 and 34 that ate at fast food restaurants several times a week.{{Cite web |last=Bret Begun |date=May 23, 2006 |title=A really Big Idea |url=https://media.lanecc.edu/users/rathaketten/230Units/articles/BurgerKingCEO.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190207151918/https://media.lanecc.edu/users/rathaketten/230Units/articles/BurgerKingCEO.htm |archive-date=February 7, 2019 |access-date=July 16, 2007 |website=Newsweek}} Additionally, the chain was also adding other fare such as its TenderGrill, TenderCrisp and Angus sandwiches, that were designed to offer more complex menu items that would raise average check prices and expand the breadth of its offerings in the fast food market place.{{Cite web |last=The Gale Group |date=August 4, 2004 |title=Chains beef up with Black Angus |url=http://business.highbeam.com/409700/article-1G1-121643304/chains-beef-up-black-angus-aim-steer-guests-toward |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129021126/http://business.highbeam.com/409700/article-1G1-121643304/chains-beef-up-black-angus-aim-steer-guests-toward |archive-date=November 29, 2014 |access-date=July 16, 2007 |website=Nations Restaurant News}} The product was discontinued in January 2012, replaced with Burger King's version of chicken strips in March of that year.

Following Chicken Fries' discontinuation, there was a call for the product's reinstatement from fans of the product on forums such as Reddit; Business Insider noted that they are one of the 17 most requested fast products that people would like to see returned to menus.{{Cite web |last=Lutz |first=Ashley |date=December 10, 2013 |title=17 Items That Fast Food Chains Really Need To Bring Back |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/17-fast-food-items-people-miss-2013-12 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140510062058/http://www.businessinsider.com/17-fast-food-items-people-miss-2013-12 |archive-date=May 10, 2014 |access-date=April 23, 2014 |website=Business Insider}} Fans of the product also established several social media accounts dedicated to Chicken Fries' return on Facebook,{{Cite web |title=Bring Back Burger King's Chicken Fries |url=https://www.facebook.com/BringBackBurgerKingChickenFries |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227124548/https://www.facebook.com/BringBackBurgerKingChickenFries |archive-date=February 27, 2015 |access-date=April 23, 2014 |website=Facebook}} Twitter,{{Cite web |title=@thechickenfries |url=https://twitter.com/thechickenfries |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140515064301/https://twitter.com/thechickenfries |archive-date=May 15, 2014 |access-date=April 23, 2014 |website=Twitter}} and Tumblr.{{Cite web |title=#savechickenfries |url=http://savechickenfries.tumblr.com/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514201241/http://savechickenfries.tumblr.com/ |archive-date=May 14, 2014 |access-date=April 23, 2014 |website=Tumblr}} Additionally, a Change.org petition was created that called on Burger King to reinstate the product to its menu. Perez Hilton's web site declared that Chicken Fries are one product of many that will never come back,{{Cite web |title=Snacks That Are NEVER Coming Back!!! |url=http://perezhilton.com/tag/burger_king_chicken_fries/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514074614/http://perezhilton.com/tag/burger_king_chicken_fries/ |archive-date=May 14, 2014 |access-date=April 23, 2014 |website=Perezhilton.com}} while comedian Daniel Tosh featured a skit during one of the segments of his show, Tosh.0, to the product's return.{{Cite web |last=Tosh |first=Daniel |date=April 9, 2013 |title=BK Chicken Fries |url=http://tosh.comedycentral.com/segments/web-redemption/nf45j8 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417222616/http://tosh.comedycentral.com/segments/web-redemption/nf45j8 |archive-date=April 17, 2014 |access-date=April 23, 2014 |website=Tosh.0 |publisher=Comedy Central}} They were re-released in August 2014 as a limited time offering (LTO).{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Jenn |date=August 11, 2014 |title=Chicken fries are back at Burger King |url=http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-chicken-fries-back-burger-king-20140811-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812221931/http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-chicken-fries-back-burger-king-20140811-story.html |archive-date=August 12, 2014 |access-date=August 13, 2014 |website=Los Angeles Times}} The return of the product met with a favorable reaction from those who were advocating for Chicken Fries to return to the Burger King menu. There was disappointment from these groups as well because of the product's status as a limited time offering. In March 2015, Burger King permanently re-added Chicken Fries to the menu in a large, international menu expansion in thirty countries.{{Cite web |last=Snyder |first=Benjamin |date=March 23, 2015 |title=Burger King is keeping this popular food on the menu year-round |url=http://fortune.com/2015/03/23/burger-king-chicken-fries/?xid=newsletter-brief |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929223216/http://fortune.com/2015/03/23/burger-king-chicken-fries/?xid=newsletter-brief |archive-date=September 29, 2015 |access-date=August 24, 2015 |website=Fortune Magazine}}

The product received large amounts of attention on the internet after its discontinuation; at its peak the product was being mentioned in one form or another on average once every 40 seconds. In its third-quarter 2014 earnings report, Burger King admitted that the massive social media attention was one of the primary reasons it brought the product back. The positive reaction to the reintroduction included over one million mentions on Twitter. This tied into a major push by the company to utilize social media as a free marketing tool to millennials, who overwhelmingly utilize interactive media to communicate and prefer companies that utilize these tools.{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Adam |date=November 21, 2014 |title=Why Burger King brought back Chicken Fries |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-burger-king-brought-back-130014515.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927174933/http://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-burger-king-brought-back-130014515.html |archive-date=September 27, 2015 |access-date=August 22, 2015 |website=Yahoo! Finance |publisher=Marketwatch.com}}

Besides customer demand for the product, another major reason for the reintroduction was due to a significant rise in the cost of beef. During the previous few months leading up to the reintroduction of Chicken Fries, the available cattle stocks had declined since the USDA began record keeping in 1973. This shortage of ground beef caused a spike in the price of beef to all-time highs in June 2014, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.{{Cite web |last=Patton |first=Leslie |date=August 11, 2014 |title=Burger King Brings Back Chicken Fries |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-11/burger-king-brings-back-chicken-fries.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141005211937/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-11/burger-king-brings-back-chicken-fries.html |archive-date=October 5, 2014 |access-date=October 20, 2014 |website=Bloomberg |publisher=Bloomberg Businessweek}} Additionally, increasing competition from McDonald's, Wendy's and other chains in the fast food industry drove Burger King to boost sales by introducing new products along similar lines. Two major competitors had been revamping their menus with products such as variations on the McDouble from McDonald's and sandwiches based on pretzel-style buns from Wendy's.

The third reason the product was brought back was because of a new approach the company was taking regarding LTO products; instead of putting out large numbers of products that may only appeal to a small audience, it instead would only add a smaller number of products that have broader market appeal.{{Cite news |last=Leonard |first=Devin |date=July 24, 2014 |title=Burger King Is Run by Children |work=Bloomberg BusinessWeek |url=http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-07-24/burger-kings-ceo-daniel-schwartz-is-33-years-old |url-status=dead |access-date=October 28, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141021215949/http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-07-24/burger-kings-ceo-daniel-schwartz-is-33-years-old |archive-date=October 21, 2014}} Chicken Fries were part of that goal, with the re-introduction utilizing a three prong approach: its stated intention to introduce products to those that will have most impact, a bid to appeal to Millennials utilizing social media focused campaigns, and to utilize a former product from its portfolio that the company probably should have thought about before discontinuing.{{Cite news |last=Horovitz |first=Bruce |date=August 11, 2014 |title=BK brings back Chicken Fries |work=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/08/11/burger-king-chicken-fries-fast-food-restaurants-social-media/13893973/ |url-status=live |access-date=December 5, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141007092455/http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/08/11/burger-king-chicken-fries-fast-food-restaurants-social-media/13893973/ |archive-date=October 7, 2014}} The idea of reintroducing older products is appealing to companies such as Burger King and McDonald's because it is operationally easier than launching a completely new product by allowing a company to utilize older advertising along with its existing supply chain already which is already established to deliver the product ingredients. The limited-time offers allow chains to bring "new" product the menu without adding permanent complexity to their kitchen operations.{{Cite web |last=Little |first=Katie |date=March 8, 2015 |title=Fast food's new mantra: What's old is new |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2015/03/08/fast-foods-new-mantra-whats-old-is-new.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150824203146/http://www.cnbc.com/2015/03/08/fast-foods-new-mantra-whats-old-is-new.html |archive-date=August 24, 2015 |access-date=August 24, 2015 |publisher=CNBC}}

The reintroduction of Chicken Fries proved to be a fortuitous decision for Burger King, the resulting sales bump provided an increase in profits each time they were added to the menu. The 2014 reintroduction was a resounding success for the company, helping Burger King achieve domestic same-store comparable sales rise of 3.1% in 2014. On the opposite side, McDonald's reported a 4% decrease for the same period in its domestic same-store sales, which the competitor attributed to "ongoing aggressive competitive activity." The success of the 2015 reintroduction again helped the chain post positive financial numbers, with the company reporting that the Chicken Fries reintroduction was one of a trio of factors that helped drive second quarter 2015 same-store comparable sales growth up by 7.9%. Again, arch rival McDonald's reported that its same-store comparable sales fell 2% for the same time period in the US as its promotions failed to meet financial analysts' predictions.{{Cite news |date=July 27, 2015 |title=Burger King's business is booming thanks to one menu item |work=Business Insider |agency=Associated Press |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/chicken-fries-influence-on-burger-king-sales-2015-7 |url-status=live |access-date=August 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822062612/http://www.businessinsider.com/chicken-fries-influence-on-burger-king-sales-2015-7 |archive-date=August 22, 2015}}

file:BK Chicken Fries favors.jpg

BK Chicken Fries are breaded and fried chicken strips, and were available in three sizes during their initial availability period: six-, nine-, and twelve-piece servings. Three and thirty-six-piece sizes were available as limited time offers (LTO).{{Cite web |last=Scott |first=Andrew |date=May 1, 2006 |title=Burger King and the NFL |url=http://www.chiefmarketer.com/burger-king-the-nfl/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220907080358/https://www.chiefmarketer.com/burger-king-the-nfl/ |archive-date=September 7, 2022 |access-date=December 5, 2014 |publisher=Chief Marketer}} The smaller size was sold à la carte, while larger portion could be purchased as a meal option. While its core audience was adults such as soccer moms or commuters,{{Cite book |last1=Boone |first1=Louis E. |title=Contemporary Marketing |last2=Kurtz |first2=David L. |date=January 4, 2008 |publisher=South-Western College Pub |isbn=978-0-324-58021-1 |editor-last=Calhoun, Jack W. |edition=13th |location=Mason, Ohio |page=175 |chapter=2}} a kids' meal option was at one time available in the U.S. that included a six-piece order of the product. The 2014 reissued product was only available in a nine-piece serving, at a recommended price point of USD $2.89.

A summer 2015 LTO introduced a spicy variant, called Fiery Chicken Fries, in addition to the standard offering; the product featured a spicy breading featuring a mix of cayenne pepper, black pepper and other spices that replaced the normal coating. The product was the first variant of BK Chicken Fries added to the company's menu.{{Cite news |last=Hoffman |first=Ken |date=August 19, 2015 |title=Adding fiery spice to Chicken Fries at Burger King |work=Houston Chronicle}} In developing the product, Burger King's chief marketing officer stated that once taste testers described the product as "spicy as shit", the company realized it had the correct spice mix.{{Cite web |last=Alesci |first=Christina |date=August 11, 2015 |title=Burger King's new chicken fries will 'make your mouth cry' |url=https://money.cnn.com/2015/08/11/news/burger-king-fiery-chicken-fries/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191224131644/https://money.cnn.com/2015/08/11/news/burger-king-fiery-chicken-fries/ |archive-date=December 24, 2019 |access-date=August 20, 2015 |publisher=CNN-Money}} Sale of the product would be limited to a one-month period, but the company stated if sales were successful enough it would consider extending the availability beyond the initial time frame.{{Cite magazine |last=Basu |first=Tanya |date=August 11, 2015 |title=Burger King Introduces a Spicy Version of Its Chicken Fries |url=https://time.com/3992821/burger-king-fiery-chicken-fries/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150819081809/http://time.com/3992821/burger-king-fiery-chicken-fries/ |archive-date=August 19, 2015 |access-date=August 20, 2015 |magazine=Time}}

To accompany the 2015 re-introduction of the product, the chain released a new sauce simply called Chicken Fry Sauce. The new condiment was not widely advertised, with almost all promotion being done through the company's social media accounts on Twitter and Facebook.{{Cite web |last=Northrup |first=Laura |date=June 18, 2015 |title=Burger King Introduces Top-Secret Sauce For Chicken Fries |url=http://consumerist.com/2015/06/18/burger-king-introduces-top-secret-sauce-for-chicken-fries/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150823025820/http://consumerist.com/2015/06/18/burger-king-introduces-top-secret-sauce-for-chicken-fries/ |archive-date=August 23, 2015 |access-date=August 24, 2015 |website=Consumerist}} The sauce is described as a combination of BBQ sauce and honey mustard, and described by Burger King as "the sauce of all sauces." The company's posts were accompanied by the hashtag {{hashtag}}AskForTheSauce.{{Cite web |last=Ryan |date=June 16, 2015 |title=New Chicken Fries Sauce at Burger King |url=http://www.grubgrade.com/2015/06/16/new-chicken-fries-sauce-at-burger-king/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822063403/http://www.grubgrade.com/2015/06/16/new-chicken-fries-sauce-at-burger-king/ |archive-date=August 22, 2015 |access-date=August 24, 2015 |publisher=Grub Grade}}

File:BK Packaging.jpg

Part of the product's format was in its packaging, which was designed to fit in a car cup holder. The BK Chicken Fry box, while square in shape, will sit comfortably in the cup holder and its top, when opened, forms a small tray that is designed to hold dipping sauce. Burger King credits the design of this box with helping to make its Chicken Fries the most popular adult-oriented chicken product in the United States at the time.{{Cite web |date=November 27, 2007 |title=Burger King CEO John Chidsey on Innovation, Trust, and "The King" |url=http://knowledge.emory.edu/article.cfm?articleid=1097 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717042513/http://knowledge.emory.edu/article.cfm?articleid=1097 |archive-date=July 17, 2012 |access-date=March 1, 2008 |publisher=Emory University}} Since most of the fast food industry's business is take-out or drive-thru traffic, this allowed the convenience food purchaser to drive and eat with little effort.{{Cite web |last=Prewitt |first=Milford |date=June 15, 1992 |title=BK charting new expansion with 'Expressway' concepts — Burger King innovation |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_n24_v26/ai_12378909 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080502011737/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_n24_v26/ai_12378909 |archive-date=May 2, 2008 |access-date=December 4, 2007 |publisher=Nation's Restaurant News}} With the introduction of the BK Chicken Fries, BK began adapting some of its other product packaging so that it could also be placed in an automotive cup holder. In addition to the Chicken Fries container, the company added a trademarked and patented, round French fry container which it calls the "FryPod", which is a paper cup made from 50 percent recycled materials that is also designed to fit in an automotive cup holder.{{Cite web |last=Horowitz |first=Jeremy |date=September 6, 2006 |title=Frypod from Burger King: eat boiling oil, Apple |url=http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/backstage/comments/frypod-from-burger-king-eat-boiling-oil-apple/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721083323/http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/backstage/comments/frypod-from-burger-king-eat-boiling-oil-apple/ |archive-date=July 21, 2015 |access-date=1 June 2009 |publisher=iLounge}} The package design won an honorable mention at a packaging industry design competition hosted by the Quick Service Restaurant division of the Foodservice and Packaging Institute in 2007.{{Cite web |date=October 26, 2007 |title=New Bistro Concept Takes Top Honors at the QSR/FPI Foodservice Packaging Awards Ceremony |url=http://www.slideshare.net/purdy/2007-qsrfpi-foodservice-packagaing-awards |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090731231336/http://www.slideshare.net/purdy/2007-qsrfpi-foodservice-packagaing-awards |archive-date=July 31, 2009 |access-date=June 5, 2009 |publisher=Food packaging institute |format=PDF}}

The 2015 Fiery Chicken Fries promotion introduced a packaging variant that featured new graphics. The image featured on the box is an angry looking chicken in a Lucha libre-style mask. Other packaging variants that have appeared over the years have included tie-ins to the NFL and SpongeBob SquarePants.{{Cite news |last=Bruce Horovitz |date=March 22, 2004 |title=Burger King zaps menu, image |work=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2004-03-21-burgerking_x.htm |url-status=live |access-date=September 26, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070911023031/http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2004-03-21-burgerking_x.htm |archive-date=September 11, 2007}}{{Cite web |last=Garfield |first=Bob |date=April 16, 2009 |title=Burger King's 'No Pants' Spot vs. American Family Association |url=http://adage.com/garfield/post?article_id=116110 |access-date=October 28, 2009 |website=Advertising Age}}

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{{see also|Burger King advertising|List of Burger King ad programs}}

{{Infobox Advertising

| name = Coq Roq

| image =

| caption =

| agency = Crispin, Porter + Bogusky

| client = Burger King

| title =

| product = BK Chicken Fries

| year = 2004–2005

}}

Coq Roq, also spelled COQ ROQ, was an advertising program created in late 2004 for Burger King by the Miami-based advertising firm Crispin Porter + Bogusky (CP+B).{{Cite web |last=Kiley |first=David |date=July 27, 2005 |title=Burger King's Coq Roq Site Stirs Pot. But Will It Sell Greasy Chicken Fries? |url=http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/brandnewday/archives/2005/07/burger_kings_co.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140917222540/http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/brandnewday/archives/2005/07/burger_kings_co.html |archive-date=September 17, 2014 |access-date=November 19, 2014 |website=Bloomberg Businessweek}}{{Cite web |last=MacArthur |first=Kate |date=July 27, 2007 |title=Burger King's COQROQ.com Triggers Controversy |url=http://adage.com/article/news/burger-king-s-coqroq-triggers-controversy/46384/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927040201/http://adage.com/article/news/burger-king-s-coqroq-triggers-controversy/46384/ |archive-date=September 27, 2015 |access-date=November 19, 2014 |website=Advertising Age}} Coq Roq was a fictional "rooster metal" group (albeit composed of various real-life musicians) with its own website and associated content. The band's musical "style" was classified as punk-sounding rock n' roll, thrash or nu metal. The campaign featured a viral marketing website, television and print campaigns and a fictional MySpace page. The program was similar to other marketing campaigns created by CP+B for Burger King, including the Subservient Chicken, Ugoff, and Sith Sense.

According to CP+B employee Tom Zukoszki, the fictional background information for the band was that they signed with Burger King instead of a major record label. As part of the promotion, a four-song LP record was recorded, two music videos produced, and a national (US) tour planned. The tour had to be cancelled because the actor playing the lead singer, a Canadian citizen, was unable to enter the United States because he had a criminal record in his home country.{{Cite web |last=Zubroski |first=Tom |title=Coq Roq |url=http://www.tomzukoski.com/Burger-King-Coq-Roq-Integrated-Campaign |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150317000057/http://www.tomzukoski.com/Burger-King-Coq-Roq-Integrated-Campaign |archive-date=March 17, 2015 |access-date=August 20, 2015 |website=tomzubroski.com}}

• Fowl Mouth: vocals{{Cite news |last=Elliott |first=Stuart |date=July 25, 2005 |title=From Burger King, Music to Eat Chicken By |work=New York Times |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C04E1DC123FF936A15754C0A9639C8B63 |url-status=live |access-date=July 16, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716181802/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C04E1DC123FF936A15754C0A9639C8B63 |archive-date=July 16, 2015}}{{Cite press release |title=Coq Roq Hits National Music Scene With Poultry-Packed Lyrical Prowess |date=July 25, 2005 |publisher=Burger King Corporation |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/coq-roqsm-hits-national-music-scene-with-poultry-packed-lyrical-prowess-54735072.html |access-date=August 20, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924141921/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/coq-roqsm-hits-national-music-scene-with-poultry-packed-lyrical-prowess-54735072.html |archive-date=September 24, 2015}}
• The Talisman: lead guitar
• Kabuki: rhythm guitar
• Free Range: bass
• Sub-Sonic: drums
• Firebird: fire breather

The 2014 reintroduction of the product featured a first for the company, a primarily digital-focused promotion headed by the company's online media agency Code and Theory.{{Cite web |last=Morrison |first=Maureen |date=August 11, 2014 |title=Burger King Brings Back Chicken Fries, Dipping Into Crispin Era Again |url=http://adage.com/article/news/burger-king-brings-back-chicken-fries/294543/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927073416/http://adage.com/article/news/burger-king-brings-back-chicken-fries/294543/ |archive-date=September 27, 2015 |access-date=August 22, 2015 |website=Advertising Age}} To start off the promotion, the company announced the forthcoming reintroduction a few weeks before the product was set to be released with the simple tweet "You asked. We answered. {{hashtag}}ChickenFriesAreBack."{{Cite web |last=Ledbetter |first=Carly |date=August 11, 2014 |title=Burger King Brings Back Chicken Fries, World Rejoices |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/11/burger-king-brings-back-chicken-fries_n_5669877.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220907080358/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/burger-king-brings-back-chicken-fries_n_5669877 |archive-date=September 7, 2022 |access-date=August 22, 2015 |website=Huffington Post}} The company also expanded its social media footprint specifically for the Chicken Fries promotion, adding new Tumblr and Snapchat accounts to their stable of social media outlets. The idea behind the large social media push was monetary, instead of spending capital on a traditional multi-week, multi-media advertising campaign the company would have product-loyalists spread the word at a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising.{{Cite web |last=Heine |first=Christopher |date=August 15, 2014 |title=Burger King Is Getting 380 Tweets Every Minute for Chicken Fries |url=http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/burger-king-getting-380-tweets-every-minute-chicken-fries-159545 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150908032036/http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/burger-king-getting-380-tweets-every-minute-chicken-fries-159545 |archive-date=September 8, 2015 |access-date=August 23, 2015 |website=Advertising Age}}

Instead of producing a new series of spots on the television front, the chain reused the commercials originally produced by Crispin, Porter + Bogusky from the initial product run. These commercials were only played on Thursdays, specifically for the social media meme known as Throwback Thursday, events that feature historical personal stories or happenings that are routinely run on various sites such as Facebook or Instagram. The only major change to the advertisements was the addition of the hashtag {{hashtag}}TBT to the lower left-hand corner of the video.

After the end of the promotional period, Burger King received numerous complaints from fans of Chicken Fries through social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. One of the major ways the company responded was through personalized responses to these posts. Instead of using an automated response that would paste a standardized message on people's Twitter feeds, the company instead employed several staff to personally respond to customers voicing displeasure on the LTO nature of the 2014 introduction.{{Cite web |last=Monllos |first=Kristina |date=September 24, 2014 |title=Brand of the Day: Burger King Finds 15 Ways to Handle the Same Hurt Feelings on Twitter |url=http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/brand-day-burger-king-finds-15-ways-handle-same-hurt-feelings-twitter-160321 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927115342/http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/brand-day-burger-king-finds-15-ways-handle-same-hurt-feelings-twitter-160321 |archive-date=September 27, 2015 |access-date=August 22, 2015 |website=Adweek}} The entire 2014 Chicken Fries promotion represented a major shift in the attitude towards advertising for Burger King, moving from a more traditional advertising structure to one focused almost entirely on digitally based media. This change happened fairly quickly, falling into place over the twelve to eighteen-month period preceding the reintroduction of Chicken Fries to the chain's menu. Along with the new advertising firm, a new director of digital marketing and social media was newly hired from cosmetics firm L'Oréal was added, increasing the clout of the digital advertising team within the chain.

Advertising for the permanent reintroduction of Chicken Fries in early 2015 was again shaped around a large digital-media push headed by its new advertising firm David. However, unlike the 2014 promotion that was almost exclusively digitally oriented, the 2015 promotion was accompanied with a sizable television and media tie-in to the annual NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship tournament.{{Cite web |date=March 3, 2015 |title=Burger King Chicken Fries are back for good |url=http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2015/03/23/burger-king-chicken-fries-are-back-for-good/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825045240/http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2015/03/23/burger-king-chicken-fries-are-back-for-good/ |archive-date=August 25, 2015 |access-date=August 24, 2015 |publisher=Fox News}} In the host city of Indianapolis, Burger King sponsored Chicken Fries-branded SUVs that would give free rides to visitors.{{Cite web |title=Activities to Check Out in Indianapolis |url=https://www.ncaa.com/final-four/activities-check-out-indianapolis |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927214321/http://www.ncaa.com/final-four/activities-check-out-indianapolis |archive-date=September 27, 2015 |access-date=August 24, 2015 |publisher=NCAA}} A series of advertisements for the product and the company's 2 for $5 sandwich promotion ran during the tournament featuring the hash tag {{hashtag}}WatchLikeaKing, along with a series of NCAA co-branded kid's meals.{{Cite web |last=Lukovitz |first=Karlene |date=March 23, 2015 |title=BK Deploying Emoji Keyboard, Ad Barrage As It Adds Chicken Fries To Permanent Menu |url=http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/246196/bk-deploying-emoji-keyboard-ad-barrage-as-it-adds.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921091452/http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/246196/bk-deploying-emoji-keyboard-ad-barrage-as-it-adds.html |archive-date=September 21, 2015 |access-date=August 24, 2015 |publisher=MediaPost.com}}{{Cite web |date=March 12, 2015 |title=Burger King Unveils Activation Plans Around NCAA Tournament |url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Closing-Bell/2015/03/12/Burger-King.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924104830/http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Closing-Bell/2015/03/12/Burger-King.aspx |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |access-date=August 24, 2015 |website=Sports Business Daily}}

On the digital front, the company utilized a viral marketing strategy starring a chicken named Gloria. Gloria would be brought to local restaurants to decide if the particular location would sell Chicken Fries that day; she would be given two feed bowls labeled "yes" and "no" and depending on which bowl she ate from would decide if the product would be sold there that day. Gloria the chicken had her own truck with her own custom-designed coop. There was a social media presence accompanying the tour with the hashtags {{hashtag}}RandomGloria and {{hashtag}}ChickenFries. Additionally, each of the events were live streamed on the product's webpage, which also included other things such as Gloria's biography, a map of upcoming events and links to corporate web sites.{{Cite web |last=Ruggless |first=Ron |date=March 16, 2015 |title=Burger King reprises Chicken Fries |url=http://nrn.com/burger-king/burger-king-reprises-chicken-fries |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927104006/http://nrn.com/burger-king/burger-king-reprises-chicken-fries |archive-date=September 27, 2015 |access-date=August 24, 2015 |website=Nation's Restaurant News}}{{Cite web |last=Morrison |first=Maureen |date=March 16, 2015 |title=Burger King Names Chicken Gloria, Puts Her in Charge of Chicken Fries |url=http://adage.com/article/digital/burger-king-named-a-chicken-gloria/297591/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909140945/http://adage.com/article/digital/burger-king-named-a-chicken-gloria/297591/ |archive-date=September 9, 2015 |access-date=August 24, 2015 |website=Advertising Age}} The Gloria tour did raise the ire of animal rights organization PETA. The group initially responded to the promotion with a one-word tweet, "DESPICABLE," with the follow-up "@BurgerKing forcing a chicken to decide if her friends will become #ChickenFries." PETA stated that the concept behind the tour made their jaws drop over perceived cruelty.{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Esther |date=March 20, 2015 |title=Burger King Is Letting a Chicken Decide Which Locations Will Serve Chicken Fries |url=http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/burger-king-letting-a-chicken-decide-which-spots-get-chicken-fries-2015203 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150816100906/http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/burger-king-letting-a-chicken-decide-which-spots-get-chicken-fries-2015203 |archive-date=August 16, 2015 |access-date=August 24, 2015 |website=Us Magazine}}

The CP+B produced Coq Roq advertisements followed a pattern of controversy for the company, as previous advertisements produced by CP+B had come under fire for perceived or overt sexual innuendo. An earlier example of this type of advertisement was a promotion for a LTO version of Burger King's TenderCrisp sandwich which featured Darius Rucker in a commercial singing a variant of Burger King's Have It Your Way jingle that featured a line about "a train of ladies with a nice caboose," where caboose was not referring to the last car of a train, but the buttocks of the actresses featured in the commercial.{{Cite book |last1=Lamb |first1=Charles W. |title=Marketing |last2=Hair |first2=Joseph |last3=McDaniel |first3=Carl |date=January 4, 2007 |publisher=South-Western College Press |isbn=978-0324362084 |edition=9th |page=532}} The issues raised by public interest groups in this instance came from complaints over the double entendres and sexual innuendo on the Coq Roq website. Pictures of scantily clad women posing as groupies of the band were featured in one section of the site and sported comments such as "groupies love the Coq" and "Groupies love Coq". Protests from the public over the sexual innuendo of the comments forced BK to request CB+P to have content be changed to something more appropriate for a family oriented restaurant.{{Cite web |last=Joel |first=Mitch |date=July 26, 2005 |title=Burger King Goes Viral Again |url=http://www.twistimage.com/blog/archives/groupies-love-the-coq---burger-king-goes-viral-again/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716163516/http://www.twistimage.com/blog/archives/groupies-love-the-coq---burger-king-goes-viral-again/ |archive-date=July 16, 2011 |access-date=October 7, 2007}}{{Cite web |last=MacArthur |first=Kate |date=July 26, 2005 |title=Burger King's CoqRoq.com Triggers Controversy |url=http://adage.com/article/news/burger-king-s-coqroq-triggers-controversy/46384/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927040201/http://adage.com/article/news/burger-king-s-coqroq-triggers-controversy/46384/ |archive-date=September 27, 2015 |access-date=August 20, 2015 |website=Advertising Age}}

In August 2005, CP+B and Burger King became the target of lawyers of the band Slipknot, who alleged the mask-wearing rooster rockers were a blatant copy of the band's style. The band claimed that CP+B had approached Slipknot's record company, Roadrunner Records, with an offer to appear in another commercial for Burger King. The band declined on the grounds that they did not want to be associated with a burger chain and they felt that the Coq Roq advertisements were deliberately co-opting the band's signature look and style in order to influence its fans to purchase the chain's products. The band issued a cease and desist letter to CP+B and BK requesting the advertisements be pulled. When the two parties declined, the band sued for an undisclosed amount.

CP+B and Burger King then filed counter-suit against Slipknot, stating that the Coq Roq band was fictitious, visually and musically bore little resemblance to Slipknot's style, and at best was a general parody of heavy metal bands that wear masks or try to achieve a mask-like effect, such as Mushroomhead, KISS or GWAR. Partly mentioned in the counter-suit included the notion that Slipknot were parodies of bands themselves, further citing the specific example of Mushroomhead, who wore near identical style masks and jumpsuits, and had been playing several years before Slipknot even formed, let alone went mainstream. Both suits were eventually dropped, and Burger King ended the campaign shortly after.{{Cite web |last=AP Wire |date=August 17, 2005 |title=Slipknot's Burger King Beef |url=http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/celebrity/slipknots-burger-king-beef |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226230300/http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/celebrity/slipknots-burger-king-beef |archive-date=December 26, 2013 |access-date=October 9, 2013 |publisher=The Smoking Gun}}

As a product tie-in with the 2005–2006 NFL season, Burger King introduced a 36 piece party pack as a limited time offer. This promotion was more general and featured the BK mascot, the Burger King, digitally superimposed into NFL game footage so appeared to be involved in the game. Some of the players the King replaced include Steve Young, Deion Sanders, and Moe Williams. He has also been depicted performing the Lambeau Leap and dumping Gatorade on the head of former Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula. The primary packaging was altered to include the NFL logo; the party pack designed to mimic the texture of a football, included the NFL logo and a humorous comment along the line of those found on BK packaging at the time.

During the summer of 2006, BK introduced the 12 piece size as a product tie-in with NASCAR and its new sponsorship of a NASCAR team.{{Cite news |last=Darling |first=Dave |date=December 22, 2006 |title=Commercial success |work=Orlando Sentinel |url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2006-12-22/sports/DARLING22_1_burger-king-tiger-woods-commercial |url-status=dead |access-date=August 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304002326/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2006-12-22/sports/DARLING22_1_burger-king-tiger-woods-commercial |archive-date=March 4, 2016}} The promotion was part of the company's new sponsorship deal with NASCAR and the new BK/Michael Waltrip Racing team featuring Waltrip's 00 car number.{{Cite press release |title=Burger King to sponsor NASCAR car |date=March 17, 2006 |publisher=Burger King Corporation |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2006/03/13/daily48.html |access-date=August 20, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170403015132/http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2006/03/13/daily48.html |archive-date=April 3, 2017 |website=South Florida Business Journal}} Several television ads were produced featuring BK Chicken Fries and Waltrip's racing team with a fictional pit crew member, the chicken server.{{Cite AV media |title=Burger King-NASCAR Chicken Fries commercial |type=Television |publisher=Crispin, Porter + Bogusky |year=2006 |place=United States}}

During 2007, Burger King had another product tie-in with a Nickelodeon show, SpongeBob SquarePants. Again the box was altered, this time so the design of the box looked like the character SpongeBob. Later in-store promotions in the U.S. have urged customers to add a six-piece portion to their meal as a snack option.

The name "BK Chicken Fries" is not registered as a trademark in the markets where the product is sold (US, Canada, the UK, and Europe);^{[Notes 1]} however, the initialism "BK" is a trademark of Burger King Holdings and is displayed with the ® symbol in the United States, Europe and New Zealand.^{[Notes 2]} The term "chicken fries" has been trademarked in the United States several times, but never by Burger King. In Canada, "chicken fries" was owned by KFC parent Yum! Brands, but its registration was expunged from the records.^{[Notes 3]}

• Burger King chicken nuggets
• Chicken McNuggets

{{smalldiv |{{strong |Notes}}:{{br}}

:1. British trademarks with the "EU" prefix are European Community wide trademarks.{{br}}

:2. American, European, and New Zealand trademark offices do not allow direct linking of trademark information.}}

{{reflist |group=notes}}

Trademark information

{{Col-begin}}

{{Col-break}}

;{{small |1. BK Chicken Fry trademarks}}

{{anchor |BKCF}}

:{{small |1. {{Citation |title=No results found for BK Chicken Fries |url=http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/index.jsp |publisher=United States Patent and Trademark Office |access-date=July 14, 2014}}}}

:{{small |2. {{Citation |title=No results found for BK Chicken Fries |url=http://www.ic.gc.ca/app/opic-cipo/trdmrks/srch/cntnBscSrch.do?textField1=BK+Chicken+Fries&selectField1=tmlookup_ext&useblg=bscSrch.do%3Flang%3Deng&languageDirection=f&lang=eng&submitButton=Search |df=mdy-all |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714130337/http://www.ic.gc.ca/app/opic-cipo/trdmrks/srch/cntnBscSrch.do?textField1=BK+Chicken+Fries&selectField1=tmlookup_ext&useblg=bscSrch.do%3Flang%3Deng&languageDirection=f&lang=eng&submitButton=Search |publisher=Canadian Intellectual Property Office |access-date=July 14, 2014 |archive-date=July 14, 2015 |url-status=dead}}}}

:{{small |3. {{Citation |title=No results found for BK Chicken Fries |url=http://oami.europa.eu/ows/rw/pages/QPLUS/databases/searchCTM.en.do |publisher=Office for the Harmonisation in the Internal Market, Trade Marks and Designs office |access-date=July 14, 2014 |archive-date=October 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006111100/http://oami.europa.eu/ows/rw/pages/QPLUS/databases/searchCTM.en.do |url-status=dead }}}}

:{{small |4. {{Citation |title=No results found for BK Chicken Fries |url=https://www.ipo.gov.uk/tmtext/ |publisher=Intellectual Property Office of Great Britain |access-date=July 14, 2014}}}}

:{{small |5. {{Citation |title=No results found for BK Chicken Fries |url=http://www.iponz.govt.nz/cms/trade-marks |publisher=Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand |access-date=July 14, 2014}}}}

;{{small |3. Chicken Fry trademarks}}

{{anchor |CF}}

:{{small |1. {{Citation |title=Chicken fries, CIPO registration #TMA477824 |url=http://www.ic.gc.ca/app/opic-cipo/trdmrks/srch/vwTrdmrk.do?lang=eng&status=OK&fileNumber=0777826&extension=0&startingDocumentIndexOnPage=1 |publisher=Canadian Intellectual Property Office |access-date=July 14, 2014}}}}

:{{small |2. {{Citation |title=24 results found for chicken fries, none owned by Burger King |url=http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/index.jsp |publisher=United States Patent and Trademark Office |access-date=July 14, 2014}}}}

:{{small |3. {{Citation |title=No results found for chicken fries |url=http://oami.europa.eu/ows/rw/pages/QPLUS/databases/searchCTM.en.do |publisher=Office for the Harmonisation in the Internal Market, Trade Marks and Designs office |access-date=July 16, 2014 |archive-date=October 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006111100/http://oami.europa.eu/ows/rw/pages/QPLUS/databases/searchCTM.en.do |url-status=dead }}}}

:{{small |4. {{Citation |title=No results found for chicken fries |url=https://www.ipo.gov.uk/tmtext/ |publisher=Intellectual Property Office of Great Britain |access-date=July 16, 2014}}}}

:{{small |5. {{Citation |title=No results found for chicken fries |url=http://www.iponz.govt.nz/cms/trade-marks |publisher=Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand |access-date=July 16, 2014}}}}

{{Col-break}}

;{{small |2. BK trademarks}}

{{anchor |BK}}

:{{small |1. {{Citation |title=BK, USPTO serial #77252106 |url=http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/index.jsp |publisher=United States Patent and Trademark Office |access-date=July 14, 2014}}}}

:{{small |2. {{Citation |title=BK, CIPO registration #TMA749291 |url=http://www.ic.gc.ca/app/opic-cipo/trdmrks/srch/vwTrdmrk.do?lang=eng&status=&fileNumber=1414187&extension=0&startingDocumentIndexOnPage=1 |publisher=Canadian Intellectual Property Office |access-date=July 14, 2014}}}}

:{{small |3. {{Citation |title=BK, OHIM trade mark #005211297 |url=http://oami.europa.eu/ows/rw/pages/QPLUS/databases/searchCTM.en.do |publisher=Office for the Harmonisation in the Internal Market, Trade Marks and Designs office |access-date=July 14, 2014 |archive-date=October 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006111100/http://oami.europa.eu/ows/rw/pages/QPLUS/databases/searchCTM.en.do |url-status=dead }}}}

:{{small |4. {{Citation |title=BK, IPOGB trade mark #EU005211297 |url=https://www.ipo.gov.uk/tmcase/Results/4/EU005211297 |publisher=Intellectual Property Office of Great Britain |access-date=July 14, 2014}}}}

:{{small |5. {{Citation |title=BK, IPONZ IP case #813210 |url=http://www.iponz.govt.nz/cms/trade-marks |publisher=Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand |access-date=July 14, 2014}}}}

{{col-end}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://myspace.com/coqroq Coq Roq] on MySpace
• [https://vimeo.com/1822240 Bob Your Head video] on Vimeo
• [https://vimeo.com/1822229 Cross the Road video] on Vimeo
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160903141031/http://chickenfries.com/ chickenfries.com] – Gloria the Chicken web page

{{Burger King}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bk Chicken Fries}}

Category:Burger King foods

Category:Food and drink introduced in 2005

Category:Brand name poultry meats