Burger King Staged a Car Fire on a Highway, and Surprised Those Who Stopped to Help

Today is Good Samaritan Day. And rather than spend 15 minutes whipping up a dumb social post, Burger King goes the extra mile with a fun real-world stunt—staging a car fire on the side of a highway, and then offering a special treat to the good samaritans who stopped to help.

The film, by David Miami, was shot on a stretch of road in Vasquez Canyon, California, and the good samaritans who stopped “are real,” the brand tells us.

See how it played out here:

“The film showcases the genuine outpouring of concern from those who pulled over to lend a hand, quickly turning to relief as they realized the flames were from a grill, and not an engine fire,” BK said in a statement. “These good samaritans were prepared to help in any way possible, from running up with fire extinguishers to attempting to douse the flames with a handful of sand.”

The fast-food chain adds: Sometimes a simple gesture can be a reminder of how great it feels to do good.”

BK has been really into real-world stunts lately, reprising a tactic of CP+B’s for the brand a decade ago. Recent examples include the famous “Bullying Jr.” and “Whopper Neutrality” stunts.

UPDATE: Some viewers have noticed similarities between this spot and a BBQ Quebec spot from last year. A rep for BK denied the campaign was copied. “This is a coincidence and further proof that good ideas can come from anywhere,” the rep said. “The Good Samaritan Whopper campaign is a natural expression of who we are as a brand and our positioning.”

CREDITS
Client: Burger King

Agency: David the Agency
Spot: The Good Samaritan Whopper
Client: Burger King
Executive Group Creative Director: Tony Kalathara
Group Creative Director: Jason Wolske
Group Creative Director: Danny Alvarez
Art Director: Curtis Caja
Copywriter: Dan Flora
Head of Global Production: Veronica Beach
Producer: Renata Neumann
Producer: Octavio Luna
Sr. Business Affairs Manager: Barbara Karalis
Planning Director: Jon Carlaw
Account Planner: Matias Candia
Managing Director: Paulo Fogaça
Head of Account Management: Carmen Rodriguez
Account Director: Stephanie Clark
Account Supervisor: Rafael Giorgino
Management Supervisor: George Quiroz
Sr. Account Executive: Margarita Pena

Production
Hey Wonderful
Director: Sam Cadman
Managing Director: Michael Di Girolamo
Executive Producer: Sarah McMurray
Producer: Angela Jones
DOP: Matthew Woolf
Production Design: Andy Rhodes

Editorial And Online
Cosmo Street Editorial
Executive Producer: Yvette Cobarrubias-Sears
Head of Production: Marie Mangahas
Producer: Tina Evanow
Editor: Hugo Jordan
Flame Artist: Shinya Sato

Music
Original Music:
Composers: Beacon Street Studios
Executive Producer: Adrea Lavezzoli
Mix House: Beacon Street Studios
Mixer: Amber Tissue
Mix Asst: Aaron Cornacchio
Senior Mix Producer: Kate Vadnais

Licensed Music: Extreme Music

Tim Nudd

@nudd

Tim Nudd is a former creative editor of Adweek.