Sure, some people will say that Burger King is just junk food and the restaurants should focus on becoming less junky, but in a recent viral anti-bullying ad, the corporation is proving that it does actually care about making somewhat of a difference.
In a video called “Bullying Jr.,” in honor of National Bullying Prevention Month, teen actors harass another teen while customers look on and do nothing to stop the bullying. Of course, they don’t know it’s a complete setup and hidden cameras are everywhere. And then the story flips.
Imagine receiving your Whopper Jr. sandwich completely pulverized and “bullied.” Well, these customers didn’t exactly take too kindly to that. Ninety-five percent of them hulked out over their sandwich being smashed, but only 12 percent said something about the poor kid getting tormented.
“We know that bullying takes on many forms—physical, verbal, relational and online. But the first step to putting an end to bullying is to take a stand against it,” No Bully CEO and Founder Nicholas Carlisle stated in a press release. “Our partnership with the Burger King brand is an example of how brands can bring positive awareness to important issues. You have to start somewhere and they chose to start within.”
Very good video, Burger King.
And to the 12 percent of the people who stood up to the bullying, you have restored a bit of my hope in humanity. A tiny bit, but it’s a start.