Am I the only one that is surprised by the reactions of those in the Burger King commercial and the video at their www.whopperfreakout.com website? I could not get the video to play there, but found it at Youtube. I am really surprised at the overly dramatic reactions of these people. Are they really that affected by the removal of a cheeseburger? Am I the only one that feels this way? It is funny to watch though!

They should freak out. That's the power of marketed branding. The world has come to an end if you can't get that brand name burger you've come to expect, whether or not you really need a specific product. It's as easy as brand loyalty = and the truth is on full display with this promotional campaign.

Either that or some people freak out because they think no whopper = no burgers.

I think it is laughable that people had the reactions they did in the videos. It may just be me, but burgers don't have that much affect on me.

You have to admit, the "Burger Queen" comment was pretty funny.

We do have square pattie hamburgers. White Castles and Wendys

Hey, if I get my wallet, and my keys, get in my car and drive to a hamburger shop, I have an expectation.

I expect them to have a burger.

If they were to say, "No, we don't have burgers", then in the course of the next three seconds, the follow emotions happen.

1. I wasted my time.
2. I'm hungry.
3. I have to go elsewhere.

So my response is to say, "Hey darnit." What do you MEAN you don't have the burger that:

a) I'm supposed to pay for
Your reason to exist is to sell me one
c) I'm ready for and want one

The potential customer has to then process the fact that

1. They're not at McDonalds asking for a Whopper
2. Looking for cameras
3. Candid camera suspicions

Equals:

a) Disbelief
Overreation
c) Surprise

And now you have a commercial that depicts confused and surprised people as "Angry" that they can't have a Whopper. Because the voice overdub tells you that.

It's genius, really.

/I still like the Wendy's commercials from the 80's
//Wheeeerrresss the beef?!
///speaking of Wendy's, doesn't that guy with the red wig look like Cameron from Ferris Bueller's Day off?

It is not that surprising. Many people rarely examine their food rituals and are quite attached to them. Ritual provides a sense of security which you don't have to think about afresh at each ritual-related event, such as eating. There can even be pronounced physiologic and psychological changes in the disruption of rituals as such. Digestive function, for example, is regulated by the autonomic system which can dramatically alter function on the basis of one's perception of the environment and anxiety level, say to a new situation. It is the rationale also for a related pathology called the "safe toilet syndrome" which affects a large proportion of the population, in which people away from their ritual places of elimination, seize up and become constipated for as long as they are away from a familiar situation.

Some people require more unexamined ritual in their lives than others, it is a fact of diversity in life. Some people simply stress out more when they have to deal with new situations and information.

Looks like some people take their fast food seriously. Wonder if anyone pulled a gun? Grabbed staff by the collar? Went into a Godfather monolog?

I know the bizarre mentality of fast food from a manager's viewpoint, did it for about three months. Worse job in the world in my book. I also know what goes into that stuff. No thanks, I'll take the little greasy spoons over fast food any day. Besides, plastic king masks creep me out.

As an ad concept, this isn't too bad. I liked the part about putting MacD and Wendy's into the BK bags, a little touch of surreality.

It'd be fun to see the outtakes. "No Whopper? Woo-hoo! That thing SUCKED!" "Good move, should have been done years ago." "Oh, I'm not here to eat. We've had complaints about sexual harassment and I need to speak to the boss. No, not the kid in the plastic mask."

Their reactions are not that unusual. First thing you have to remember is that these people are hungry. It is not wise to trifle with hungry people. Second thing is that they are at Burger King specifically for a Whopper. I know if this was me, I would be angry, moreso because I was hungry and not getting what I wanted than if there was no Whopper. You could do this at any store with any product and you would get the same reaction. This commercial is an excellent marketing concept, whoever thought this up has done their job nicely. The Whopper is garbage on a bun, but they have made it seem like a very popular and tasty burger.

The one guy looks like the crazed lone-gunman type.