Burger King Hatches "Chicken Run" Promotion

Beginning June 19, Burger King [7] customers can be a part of the most clever escape ever hatched, with four toys from the new movie, "Chicken Run," which opens nationwide on June 23.

Aardman, from Chicken Run

At more than 8,000 Burger King restaurants in the U.S. and Canada, for the first time, each Burger King Big Kids Meal and Kids Club Meal will contain one of four high-quality themed premiums that, collectively, can be used to build the Chicken Run Escape Plane.

The promotion is scheduled to run through July 16, 2000 at participating restaurants, or while supplies last.

"Chicken Run" is an innovative, witty movie that will appeal to Burger King customers of all ages," said Richard Taylor, vice president of marketing for Burger King.

"Chicken Run" follows a group of chickens imprisoned at Tweedy's Egg Farm, where any chicken who doesn't put breakfast on the table can wind up as dinner. But Ginger and her fellow flock are determined to break out before they meet a "fowl" fate. Time is running out as the greedy owner of the farm, Mrs. Tweedy, finds a new way to feather her nest—by turning chickens into chicken pies. Now, with the help of Rocky, "the lone free ranger," the chickens hatch their most spectacular plan to fly the coop.

The toys, inspired by the movie's characters, include "Mac's Highwire Act," featuring Mac precariously balancing and riding across a high wire; the toy doubles as the plane's tail. "Ginger's Eggstreme Eggscape" presents Ginger tunneling forward as her helmet lights up and doubles as the plane cockpit. "Rocky's Rooster Booster" has Rocky launching out of a cannon and landing in a chicken hut and also serves as the bottom of the plane. "Bunty Breaks Out" features Bunty being launched to jump over the hen house and doubles as the body and wings of the plane. When parts of the four individual toys are assembled together, they create a 15 inch "escape plane."

The Burger King promotion will be supported with national television advertising and radio promotional support. The spots were created by Lowe Lintas & Partners. In-store merchandising also supports the promotion.

"Chicken Run" marks the first full-length feature from the Academy Award winning England-based Aardman Animations. Presented by DreamWorks in association with Pathe, the film is being create with Aardman's distinctive brand of clay animation. The film is scheduled for nationwide release on June 23.