The Subservient Chicken

The Subservient Chicken is a viral marketing campaign created by Burger King in 2004. The campaign was developed by advertising agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky (CP+B) and The Barbarian Group, an interactive marketing firm.

Overview

The Subservient Chicken campaign was launched to promote Burger King's TenderCrisp chicken sandwich and the company's "Have It Your Way" slogan. The campaign centered around a website featuring a man in a chicken costume who would perform actions based on user input, demonstrating the idea of having control over one's chicken, or in a broader sense, having things "your way."

Concept and Execution

The concept of The Subservient Chicken was to create an interactive online experience that blurred the line between digital media and reality. The website featured a video of a man in a chicken suit standing in a living room. Users could type commands into a text box, and the chicken would perform the actions. The chicken was programmed to respond to over 300 commands, including dancing, watching TV, and doing push-ups.

The execution of the campaign was a collaborative effort between CP+B and The Barbarian Group. The website was built using Adobe Flash and video footage was shot over two days. The campaign was launched without any traditional advertising support, relying solely on word-of-mouth and online buzz to drive traffic to the website.

Reception and Impact

The Subservient Chicken campaign was a major success, generating millions of visits to the website within the first week of launch. The campaign was praised for its innovative use of interactive media and was credited with boosting sales of the TenderCrisp sandwich.

The campaign also had a significant impact on the advertising industry, with many agencies citing it as an example of successful viral marketing and the potential of interactive media. The Subservient Chicken has since been referenced in numerous academic papers and marketing textbooks.

Legacy

The Subservient Chicken remains one of the most memorable viral marketing campaigns of the early 21st century. In 2014, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the campaign, Burger King and CP+B launched a sequel campaign featuring a new Subservient Chicken website.