Burger King Bets 'Subservient Chicken' Ad Campaign Will Go Viral Again Burger King is bringing back a bizarre campaign from 2004 in the hopes of striking ad gold twice.

By Kate Taylor Apr 28, 2014

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Chicken is at the top of the menu in Burger King's throwback ad campaign.

Subservient Chicken, the mascot of Burger King's 2004 viral ad campaign, is back. This time, the eager-to-please chicken is promoting the triple-decker Chicken Big King.

In 2004, Burger King created subsurvientchicken.com – a website where a giant chicken would perform any task that users typed into the command bar. Burger King had pre-recorded a costumed actor completing hundreds of acts, allowing him to "obey" commands including "sing," "moonwalk" and "Tai Chi."

The site quickly went viral, reportedly receiving over 1 billion online views. While online marketing is now the backbone of social media-focused fast food chains, in 2004, Subservient Chicken was one of the first major online-driven campaigns.

Currently, the freshly relaunched Subservient Chicken website shows only the familiar room from the original website with no chicken in sight. An old-school "pop-up" called "Missing Chicken Error #6129" claims that "There's a chicken on the loose and we are desperately trying to find him."

Burger King will post a short video on the Subservient Chicken's life over the past decade this Wednesday, featuring a cameo by Dustin Diamond – Screech from Saved by the Bell. While it's unclear how the chain will update the website's quirky take on "Have It Your Way," the chicken will reportedly stick around going forward.

The reemergence of the Subservient Chicken couldn't come at a more convenient moment for Burger King. Chicken offerings are suddenly some of the most-hyped items on fast food menus. The weirdness of the Subservient Chicken fits right into the current, quirky fast-food market, as items like the Double Down and the Waffle Taco compete for customers' attention. And, with social media dominating marketing campaigns, websites such as Subservient Chicken are more relevant than ever.

Kate Taylor

Reporter

Kate Taylor is a reporter at Business Insider. She was previously a reporter at Entrepreneur. Get in touch with tips and feedback on Twitter at @Kate_H_Taylor.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Most Popular

See all

Franchise 500 Annual Ranking

50 Franchise CMOs Who Are Changing the Game

Get to know the industry's most influential marketing power players.

By Jeff Cheatham

Thought Leaders

6 Tips From a Clean Beauty Entrepreneur

Sarah Biggers went from a newbie in the natural beauty space to a pro in just a few years. Here are six things she wishes she'd known at the beginning.

By Sarah Biggers

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

By Amanda Breen

Science & Technology

5 Rule-Bending AI Hacks to Make Your Mornings More Productive and Profitable

By 2025, AI will transform productivity by streamlining workflows and cutting costs. Major companies like Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI are leading the way, advancing AI into "Phase 3," where tools act as digital assistants. Discover 5 AI hacks to boost efficiency and redefine your daily routine.

By Ben Angel

Marketing

5 Critical Mistakes to Avoid When Giving a Presentation

Are you tired of enduring dull presentations? Over the years, I have compiled a list of common presentation mistakes and how to avoid them. Here are my top five tips.

By Cynthia Kay