Textual Analysis: Burger King – Homer Double Whopper

Burger King – Homer Double Whopper

This advert contains features such as:

• Real Time
• Repetition
• Speech – There are no voiceovers in this advert, it is just the characters speaking.
• Dramatic Action – This advert is based on Homer Simpson, a popular character in the Fox show The Simpsons. He is trying to advertise the Burger King Double Whopper but is making a hard time of it.
• Sound – We hear a lot of diagetic sound such as the beeping of the camera, the sound of Homer hitting the microphone, the plate falling on the floor, Homer eating, Homer drooling and Homer talking with his mouth full. All of these support the action that is occurring.

This advert is an intelligent combination of different types of advertisements. By creating an advert, in which the characters are creating an advert, they are able to merge these different types of advertisement together. The advert is a dramatization as characters from the Simpsons world are trying to make a commercial advertising the Burger King Double Whopper, but Homer is making a mess of it. The type of commercial the characters are trying to make in the advert is a spokesperson/sales pitch, as Homer is supposed to describe the features of the burger. This Burger King advert could also be categorised under famous faces as the Simpsons franchise is epic, and people all around the world know of them. Homer Simpson is the main character in the television series and he is famous all around the world.

This advertisement will appeal to the masses of Simpson’s fans all around the world. I feel that it will appeal more to children, teenagers and young adults as opposed to the elderly. Simpsons is so popular that I think the use of its main character will help this advert transcend differences in social class, gender or ethnicity as the Simpsons are loved by all. However, as the product contains meat, most notably bacon, it wouldn’t appeal to muslim people.

With this advert, Burger King wanted to show that they are fun, and that their products are loved and eaten by all people, even fictional character such as Homer Simpson. They want to push the idea that their product is great, everyone enjoys it and so the viewers should too. I also think the advert tries to trigger an impulse purchase, which is a lot easier to do with food products. They want the viewers to watch this advert and desire a Burger King double whopper, and then go and buy one.

Homer Simpson is a negative stereotype on the average working class man; however he is always shown in a positive way which makes him loved by the audience. Other than his stereotype on working class men, no social groups are represented.

As typical in the Simpsons, this advert has taken an informal and light tone, with is effective use of license and hilarious gags.