Burger King Ad Confronts Bullying In Brilliant Way You’d Never Expect

A new three-minute video from Burger King released Wednesday during National Bullying Prevention Month illustrates in a surprising way the conspiracy of silence that often surrounds kids who are bullied. The ad, secretly filmed at an undisclosed Burger King location in the Los Angeles area, shows real customers’ reactions both as a bunch of bullies harass a high school junior, all played by actors, and when they receive a Whopper Jr. sandwich that has been “bullied.”

The video illustrates the real pain experienced by kids who are bullied — about 30 percent of students worldwide are targets of bullying and cyberbullying, according to statistics — when no one stands up to defend them. And, with a few exceptions, that’s what happened in Burger King’s social experiment.

The fast-food chain said 12 percent of customers stood up in defense of the student, though several appeared to be uncomfortable with the situation, while 95 percent complained when they received their mutilated, smashed sandwiches. (For more news like this, subscribe to Across America Patch for real-time breaking news alerts and free morning newsletters, or find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

A store employee defended “bullying” the sandwich when a customer complained, using some of the same language bullies often use to justify their behavior.

“I was given this,” a customer complains after getting the smashed sandwich.

“Did you bully this burger?” one worker asks another.

“Well, yeah,” he responds.

“It’s a defenseless burger,” the other protests.

“I don’t mean anything by it,” the first worker says.

What you do if you saw an act of bullying? Tell us in the comments below.

The ad, which begins with kids’ confessions about bullying, ends on a positive note with interviews with the handful of customers who did step in.

Burger King created its video in partnership with the resource and advocacy group nobully.org. CEO and founder Nicholas Carlisle said in a statement that the partnership “is an example of how brands can bring positive awareness to important issues.”

“You have to start somewhere and they (Burger King) chose to start within.”

Carlisle’s organization says repeated bullying and harassment can cause lasting physical and mental harm, marginalize students who don’t always fit in, including minority students, and negatively affect a school’s culture.

Image and video via Burger King YouTube channel