Wakanda parody puts burger on African map

The Big John Burger is legendary. It’s big, very big, and it’s bound to beat the biggest hunger. 

Inspired by this, Chicken Licken wanted to tell a tale of just how legendary the burger is and how far someone would go to get their hands on one.

And so, the idea to create a humorous parody inspired by the Black Panther franchise was born at Joe Public. Viewers are introduced to an advanced kingdom in Africa, though the exact location of this majestic place is unknown, and its citizens have no reason to leave, as the outside world adds no value to their already perfect lives. Until now ... Because, as it turns out, there’s one thing they don’t have: the Big John Burger.

Having heard the legend, the queen commands her trusted warriors to go to find “Big John”. The warriors set off on their mission and arrive in SA to find many gawking faces, an opportunistic window washer, a perplexed traffic officer and a Xhosa-speaking man who doesn’t understand their Hollywood Xhosa. Still, they use their technologically advanced navigation tool which points them in the direction of a Chicken Licken store where they mistake a well-built cashier for “Big John”. 

After a series of hilarious misunderstandings, the ad — watch it below — culminates with the warriors arriving home to their queen, confident they’ve successfully completed their mission. But, to their surprise, they realise that the queen was waiting for a Big John Burger all along, proving once and for all that only “Big John beats ya’hunga forever”, no matter who you are, or where you are.

Xolisa Dyeshana, the integrated chief creative officer of Joe Public, said: “Chicken Licken always aims to delight audiences with the unexpected. This ad does exactly that.”

Martin Schlumpf, executive creative director at Joe Public, added: “The new Big John ad is a feast for the senses: from the storytelling and comedic timing to the brilliant performances; from the art direction and the spectacular CGI to the beautiful cinematography, epic music score and sound composition. All the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster. A proudly South African Chicken Licken production.”

The ad launched in cinemas across SA on November 11, flighting as a prelude to the new Black Panther: Wakanda Forever film. Parodying the film and the genre, Chicken Licken appealed to South Africans who have been anticipating the movie that celebrates Africa and its heritage as well as its potential.

The campaign can be seen across cinema, TV, social, digital and OOH.

The ad was directed by Greg Gray from Romance Films, the visual effects and animation were created by BlackGinger and the music score composed by Pressure Cooker Studios.

This article was paid for by Joe Public.