BK plans promos for summer moviesBK plans promos for summer movies

Ron Ruggless

MIAMI Burger King Corp. plans to ramp up its movie-marketing tie-ins this summer by partnering with Paramount Pictures Corp. on three films.

The marketing begins Monday with collectible glasses and toys for the “Star Trek” movie, which will be released May 8. It will continue with the “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” on June 24 and “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” on Aug. 7.

For “Star Trek,” the company is introducing the “Kingons” -- half Klingon, half King -- for television advertising who are bent on acquiring the four collectible $1.99 BK Star Trek glasses. The chain created the humorous Kingon Defense Academy website, www.whenkingonsattack.com, that offers viewers tips on how to avoid a Kingon attack.

Burger King's tie-in also features kids' meals with chicken tenders in the shapes of stars and lightening bolts and a variety of Star Trek toys.

“We consistently strive to push the boundaries of our movie marketing, taking our activation beyond mere sponsorship,” Russ Klein, Burger King’s president for global marketing, strategy and innovation, said in a statement. “We see ourselves as a brand that likes to experiment in creating pop culture. We always want to give our customers, who are also movie fans, an unexpected experience and the strong Paramount film slate this summer affords us that opportunity.”

The chain's promotion for the "Transformer" movie this summer will include a new barbecue “Double Stackticon” sandwich, which allows guests to stack multiple burger patties, bacon, sauce and cheese. Burger King's tie-in also features a contest with such prizes as up to $1 million and a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro.

For the "G.I. Joe" film, Burger King will offer a variety of toys with its kids' meals.

Burger King has more than 11,800 restaurants in the United States and 74 nations and territories.

Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected].