Burger King Just Offered A Dismissed Fast-Food Character A Job
It's hard not to feel sorry for the many unemployed brand mascots that are currently roaming the world, aimlessly. When you think about it, who on earth is going to take a chance on the failed face of someone else's product? After all, it failed for a reason. Furthermore, it is quite likely that these mascots have been typecast, inextricably linked to their formal roles and unable to take on something fresh. Yes, it's a rough life being a dismissed company character.
For instance, whatever happened to McDonald's first mascot, Speedee? In case you don't recall this original Mickey D's mascot, Speedee was a chef with a hamburger for a face that has been out of work since 1967, when he passed the torch to Ronald McDonald (via McDonald's Fandom). According to A Progressive Dinner, the Arby's Oven Mitt mascot was dismissed from his gig in 2005, perhaps because he was too much like the Hamburger Helper glove. After singing "We love these subs, coz they are good to us," the Quizno's Spongmonkeys were unceremoniously nixed after the company received 30,000 phone calls from displeased customers and franchisees (per Huffington Post). And Taco Bell's memorable Gidget the Chihuahua was axed when it was determined that the "image of a bizarre-looking dog, begging for food, did little to boost people's hunger for Taco Bell" (via Better Marketing). When it was announced that Burger King had offered a former mascot a job, curious minds everywhere wondered if it involved one of those listed above.
Burger King is looking to hire a clown
It turns out that this job offer involves one of the best-known company mascots of all time. In 2003, Ronald McDonald and his fellow kid-friendly McDonaldland friends were "let go" amid public uproar over the fact that the company's advertising appeared to be aimed at children (via CBR). Since then, many worried about this once beloved clown's whereabouts and if he had found a new source of income.
If you were among those who were concerned about Ronald, you'll likely be relieved to know that his prospects are improving, as Burger King recently (and in a roundabout way) offered him a job. Yes, in a LinkedIn employment ad, Burger King Belgium stated they are looking for a clown to enter into a 24-hour contract, that they must have prior fast food know-how, and that they do not have to possess any Whopper-building knowledge (via Marketing-Interactive). Burger King even cheekily asked McDonald's for suggestions. And this is no mere publicity stunt. Design Taxi declares this is an authentic job listing for Burger King Belgium's fifth anniversary celebrations and that a dozen people have submitted applications.
Burger King has a history of poking fun at Ronald McDonald
The job offer may be authentic, but it is very unlikely that Burger King would actually welcome Ronald with open arms into the company ranks. Remember, this is not the first time that Burger King has chided McDonald's or their clown. As People reported, on Halloween of 2017, Burger King invited customers to dress up as clowns and visit their nearest location. With the promise that the first 500 clown-bedecked patrons would receive a free Whopper, "Scary Clown Night" proved to be not only a success, but another great poke at McDonald's. In the event's promo video, a restaurant employee can be seen being chased by a crowd of clowns, rabid for their gratis burgers. True to form, one of these rogue clowns strongly resembles poor Ronald.
In 2019, they ran a campaign that highlighted how scary clowns (including Ronald) could be. This advertising effort featured a plethora of photos in which nightmarish clowns and terrified screaming kiddies were accompanied by the catchphrase, "Birthdays should be happy. Come to Burger King and book a clown free party" (per "Today"). While it appears that Burger King has gotten over their anti-clown sentiments and desire for clown-free parties, time will only tell if Ronald is willing to work for his biggest rival.