Boris Johnson resigns—how Burger King and other brands are poking fun at U.K. Prime Minister

Boris Johnson yesterday announced he would step down as U.K. Prime Minister, following a series of scandals, a no-confidence vote, multiple accusations of lying, and finally, resignations by several senior ministers and over 50 members of his government.

Johnson didn't go willingly, referring pointedly to Westminster's "herd instinct" and "Darwinian" method of choosing leaders in his resignation speech. But Johnson's departure has already prompted multiple brands to take their pick of jibes related to the many stories attached to his colorful personality, including his untruthfulness, propensity for parties, dog ownership and more.

Meanwhile, British newspapers also employed their famous creativity in this morning's headlines. "Leave means Leave," a reference to the Brexit slogan, was the headline in the Metro, while The Economist opted for "Clownfall."

Here are some of the reactions we've seen so far. 

One Whopper too many

Johnson has been accused of lying many times in his career, including over the Downing Street parties during the coronavirus lockdown, and in the past week, over whether he knew about accusations of sexual assault against Conservative MP Chris Pincher. Burger King made use of that by sending a van with a giant digital billboard to roam around Westminster, emblazoned with the copy, "Turns out there is such a thing as too many Whoppers" in the shape of a number 10, referring to Johnson's home address. Agency BBH was behind the creative, with PR agency Splendid coordinating earned media and amplification.

New job?

Never mind the Great Resignation. British politics had its own mass walkout this week, with over 50 members of the Conservative Party resigning their government posts in protest of Johnson's behavior. That's more than any other Prime Minister in history. KFC and agency Mother London poked fun at that in a series of job ads on social with posts featuring copy such as "Former cabinet minister? We're hiring." They also created a bespoke website advertising jobs at KFC in the vicinity of Westminster. The opening message? "If you'd prefer to work in a warm, welcoming environment with supportive and trustworthy leadership, we're always looking for people."

Party central

Property website Zoopla jumped on Johnson's imminent move out of Downing Street with an ad by Lucky Generals that ran in the "Sun" newspaper this morning. "Looking for an eight bed with space for entertaining?" reads the copy—a reference to the many parties that allegedly took place in the Prime Ministerial abode during COVID lockdowns. 

Leaving drinks

Johnson has defended his right to hold leaving parties for staff during COVID lockdowns, famously describing various occasions as "work events." Beer brand Brewdog leaned into this on Twitter, giving consumers the option to vote for which branded leaving beers it should brew for Boris, asking "Is it ever too late to start prepping for a work event?" The beer names include "Resignation Nation," "Boris Lie-PA," and "ByeBye BigDog" (a reference to the ultimately unsuccessful "Operation Save Big Dog" campaign to keep Johnson in his post earlier this year.)