Do you like burgers? Do you like free stuff? Do you love ruining people's days with movie spoilers? Do you live in Germany? If you answered yes to these questions, then do I have an offer for you!
In a marketing move that puts your love of burgers and your loyalty to the STAR WARS franchise to the test, Burger Kings in Germany are offering patrons a decidedly weird promotion. Any person willing to read aloud to the restaurant a spoiler from STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER, receives a free signature Whopper. That's right, a delicious 4 oz flame grilled beef patty with mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, ketchup, and sliced onion on a sesame seed bun can be yours gratis, if you're willing to read out the identity of Emperor Palpatine's college roommate.
If you're wondering why Burger King would do something so cruel and delicious, it's simple: they are testing where your true loyalties lie. “We wanted to challenge people’s Whopper love and put it to the ultimate test by asking them to choose between their love for our flagship product and their love for the most epic sci-fi movie ever,” Klaus Schmäing, director of marketing at Burger King Germany, said in a press statement.
Now before you go grab your flame throwers and jet to Germany to burn BKs to the ground, there's one thing you should know. The spoilers to be read are not confirmed. Not by Disney, not by Daisy Ridley, not by Jar Jar's Mom. They are merely speculative spoilers compiled by a noted German cinema website. Furthermore, the marketing campaign never once mentions STAR WARS by name. Instead characters are referred to as "the young sword lady" or "the dead hooded villain." However, the yellow block lettering and the use of phrases like "May the Whopper be with you" are dead give aways. If you're curious as to why Burger King is coyly circling the proverbial wampa, might I suggest you Google the term "Disney lawyers/Star Wars copyright" and read at your leisure.
All things considered, this is a pretty genius marketing campaign. You're promoting two things that have instant brand name recognition and offering free food in the bargain. It almost seems like one of those bizarre Japanese game shows. My only concern is some overly zealous STAR WARS fan absolutely losing their Impossible Whopper minds and attacking the perpetrator. This may come as a shock to you but some STAR WARS fans can get a little intense.
STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER opens in theaters one week from today on December 20 but you can walk into your local Burger King and grab a Whopper today.