A couple of bubble-gummy social-media influencers and a rapper twice suspected of sexual assault have lent their names to Burger King’s promotion of “Keep It Real Meals.” The new line features three different boxed meals containing items that are now touted as “more natural food.”
The purity claim is based on a recent announcement by Burger King that it has removed 120 “artificial ingredients” from its menu. Among the blacklisted offenders: proplonic acid, erythosine, aluminum sulfate, hydrolyzed corn protein, myriad food dyes, and bunches of other additives used for preserving shelf life and enhancing flavor and color.
In corporate marketing speak as classic as Burger King’s Whopper, the company states in a press release: “Guests want our tasty, juicy, hand-breaded, flame-grilled food on the daily, and we’re committed to delivering on the promise of real food—which is why we’ve permanently banned 120 artificial ingredients from our food menu nationwide.”
Burger King reps insist that flavor isn’t compromised by the changes, and that customers will still enjoy “every crunch, sizzle and ‘Mmm’” in their BK favorites.
Among the supposedly cleaner menu items are those contained in the “Keep It Real” meals, each of which carry the full names of the aforementioned ambassadors.
The Cornell Hayes Jr. meal, named after rapper Nelly, features a flame-grilled Whopper with cheese, plus a small order of fries, and a Sprite.
Brazilian pop singer, Larissa Machado (a.k.a. Anitta), is associated with the same meal, except an Impossible Burger is used in the Whopper instead of beef.
A meal carrying the name of TikTok personality, Chase Hudson (“Lil Huddy”) comes with a Spicy Ch’King sandwich, four mozzarella sticks, and a chocolate shake.
The promotion will stick around for at least the next few months—or until the ambassadors’ star power wanes.