Local NewsWatercooler

Actions

Burger King PSA brings awareness to bullying

Posted at 7:46 PM, Oct 23, 2017
and last updated 2017-10-24 20:05:19-04

A fast food chain launched an online ad to help raise awareness for bullying. Burger King created a three minute ad. The restaurant hired actors to bully one another in order to see if those who dined in would step in and help.

"I thought it was very captivating," said Jackie Stephens, the CEO of the Children's Advocacy Center in Collier County. "Once you watched it, you couldn't stop watching," she added.

Stephens says she found it interesting a company like Burger King created a PSA that long.

"It was just so blatant with the bullying that was happening with the kids," said Stephens. "Then you'd see the people looking up and looking at it, but aren't doing anything," she added.

Most of the customers just sat and watched, but they changed their tone when their meals were bullied. The other part of the ad was when workers would mess with the Whopper Jrs. to see if customers would complain then.

"They were smashing the burgers and people were very upset about that," said Stephens.

The chain found 95% of the people reported the bullied sandwich, but only 12% reported the bullied students.

"It's startling when you see that statistic," said Stephens.

She hopes the ad will raise awareness and get people talking.

"It's very important for us to pay attention to these things and stand up for kids because they need help," said Stephens.