@dukes0916 What happened was during the Jan. 1986 Super Bowl, Burger King ran a commercial in which Herb walked into Burger King for the first time and ate a whopper. Then to extend the gimic, this guy Herb (a total geek, BTW) supposedly went around visiting B.K's all over the country and the first person to recognize him would win a huge monetary prize. I feel sorry for every bald-headed guy w. thick-rimmed glasses who was harassed at B.K.'s by people asking "Are you Herb?"
@animal900 Yep! I think a whopper was either $1.99 or $2.50 but fries were like .50 and the drink in the commercial was a large at that time, they were like .75 or .99. I don't remember exactly.
@CanadianHitman08 "Herb" was this nerdy guy who, according to the commercial, "never had a whopper." In later commercials he finally did, and as a promotion if a customer spots Herb in a Burger King in his or her town, that person won cash. (A customer in El Paso was one of the winners. )
The guy saying" "I'm not the Herb you're loking for" was played by comic and dramatic actor Ralph Lucarelli, who became far better known later for his memorable (and often muttiple) appearances on "The Sopranos," "Law and Order," "Third Watch," "C.P.W," "The Black Donnellys", "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" and the cult comedy sketch series "Cavalcade."
Herb was played by comic and dramatic actor Ralph Lucarelli, who became far better known later for his memorable (and often muttiple) appearances on "The Sopranos," "Law and Order," "Third Watch," "C.P.W," "The Black Donnellys", "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" and the cult comedy sketch series "Cavalcade."
WHAT A HORRIBLE CAMPAIGN... BURGER KING CEO OR SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED,,,, REMEMBER WHEN HERB SHOWED UP IN THE SUPER BOWL,,,, NO ONE GAVE A CRAP.. HORRIBLE MARKETING IDEA.
@historiachibcha1 When the campaign flopped, Burger King DID end up dropping their longtime advertising agency, the J. Walter Thompson firm they had used since 1976.
Quite simply, one of the worst ad campaigns ever. But oh wait! It gets even worse with the incredibly creepy King character! The Execs at BK are idiots.
I saw a commercial from Adland's Super Bowl commercials list for game 20, and one of the Burger King ads (presumably pre-reveal) was essentially the same as this one, only with the regular hamburger/cheeseburger.
Ive been watching old BK commericals for a while now, I Just saw the BK switches to pepsi one from 1983, if I had never seen that I would of crapped myself seeing pepsi in this commerical. I was like 6 months old when they switched back to Coke.
@BobBX542 Would've been sooooo much better if that were Eddie Murphy in that suit, but Burger King isn't McDonald's, so they couldn't afford him. "I'm Gumby dammit!"
I'd like to see people go into Burger King today and say "I'm not Herb" to the workers. Kid workers born after this commercial would be so confused. I may just try that.
Years later, BK wouldn't learn its lesson when it came to having people do obnoxious things to get money off their orders. Remember when they encouraged you to cluck like a chicken to get a dollar off their chicken sandwiches?
I have to say this is funny for me b/c this is the commercial that I got my nickname (Herb) from. When I was a kid I used to go around the house saying "I'm not the Herb your looking for" and my family and friends started calling me Herb ever since. I go by Herb to this day outside of work that is.
BK clearly didn't think through this flop. They were giving $5K to whoever recognized Herb in the store. But they never stopped to consider the obvious question: "If Herb has never had a Whopper, what exactly was he doing in a Burger King in the first place?"
Yeah, really...David Hofstede makes the same point in his book "What Were They Thinking?" (a countdown of TV's 100 dumbest moments), comparing Herb to those creepy guys who hang out @ bus stations and noting that b/c BK failed to say what Herb looked like, it led to customers harassing one another by asking "Are you Herb?".
Yeah. It actually happened to my Dad. About a dozen folks approached him when he was in line at BK and someone said, "Are you gonna ask him?" You'd think for a million bucks people would have more stones. Btw - my dad was holding his new three-month old son at the time.
Burger King switched back to Coke in 1990. The last of the restaurants acquired by PepsiCo, Kentucky Fried Chicken, had been owned by them since 1986.
wtf was that thing at the end
Xdawgs1118 1 week ago
In the last commercial... doesn't Herb break-down & eat a Wopper?
dukes0916 3 months ago
@dukes0916 What happened was during the Jan. 1986 Super Bowl, Burger King ran a commercial in which Herb walked into Burger King for the first time and ate a whopper. Then to extend the gimic, this guy Herb (a total geek, BTW) supposedly went around visiting B.K's all over the country and the first person to recognize him would win a huge monetary prize. I feel sorry for every bald-headed guy w. thick-rimmed glasses who was harassed at B.K.'s by people asking "Are you Herb?"
GeorgiaKev 1 week ago
hows that 99c? you gotta buy freakin chips and pepsi too
bazbonehead 3 months ago
thats not the herb im lookin for
ROORWANT 4 months ago
gumby might have thought that 'herb' is one of the blockheads
StFidjnr 5 months ago
Comment removed
StFidjnr 5 months ago
fight club rip off
zalupastyle 6 months ago
Whatever happened to Gumby? lol.
Mavericker7 7 months ago
you's a herb
aeestela 7 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Check the comments on my channel about the Pre-January 8th version of Inception.
jamestargetedindiv 7 months ago
Was that really a screaming deal in '86?
animal900 7 months ago
@animal900 Yep! I think a whopper was either $1.99 or $2.50 but fries were like .50 and the drink in the commercial was a large at that time, they were like .75 or .99. I don't remember exactly.
ntrickn 3 weeks ago
Who the fuck is Herb?
CanadianHitman08 9 months ago
@CanadianHitman08 "Herb" was this nerdy guy who, according to the commercial, "never had a whopper." In later commercials he finally did, and as a promotion if a customer spots Herb in a Burger King in his or her town, that person won cash. (A customer in El Paso was one of the winners. )
pyrogyra72 9 months ago
Hey it gumby!
0816brandon 10 months ago
I wish I could go back too the 80's and say "I am the herb you're looking for, Give me all the cash in the register"
MusicMightDie 10 months ago 3
I was five when this came out. I STILL don't know who Herb was!
radix9523 11 months ago
@radix9523 He was revealed as a nerd when he traveled to one BK in each of the 50 U.S. States and D.C. It wasn't very successful, though.
tejojo 10 months ago
@radix9523 Herb was fiction...actor Jon Menick impersonate him.
monkeydisco1 9 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@radix9523 Herb was a fiction....actor John Menick impersonate him...
monkeydisco1 9 months ago
@radix9523 Don't worry......you didn't miss much. Herb was revealed in a Super Bowl commercial (SB XX) in January 1986. A total geek.
GeorgiaKev 9 months ago
God I want a delicious whopper with cheese right now
DrivingonSepulveda 1 year ago
@DrivingonSepulveda Don't say that... you're making me hungry!
pyrogyra72 9 months ago
The guy saying" "I'm not the Herb you're loking for" was played by comic and dramatic actor Ralph Lucarelli, who became far better known later for his memorable (and often muttiple) appearances on "The Sopranos," "Law and Order," "Third Watch," "C.P.W," "The Black Donnellys", "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" and the cult comedy sketch series "Cavalcade."
horarwgt 1 year ago
Herb was played by comic and dramatic actor Ralph Lucarelli, who became far better known later for his memorable (and often muttiple) appearances on "The Sopranos," "Law and Order," "Third Watch," "C.P.W," "The Black Donnellys", "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" and the cult comedy sketch series "Cavalcade."
horarwgt 1 year ago
I was laughed out of Burger King in 1986 for saying "We're not Herb" when buying a bunch of food for friends. It was a low.
anubis266 1 year ago
WHAT A HORRIBLE CAMPAIGN... BURGER KING CEO OR SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED,,,, REMEMBER WHEN HERB SHOWED UP IN THE SUPER BOWL,,,, NO ONE GAVE A CRAP.. HORRIBLE MARKETING IDEA.
historiachibcha1 1 year ago 3
@historiachibcha1 When the campaign flopped, Burger King DID end up dropping their longtime advertising agency, the J. Walter Thompson firm they had used since 1976.
HamptonRoadsTVFan 9 months ago
who in the FUCK was herb
porn1978 1 year ago
fuck you gumby
sonikdude49 1 year ago
Last time they sold Whoppers for 99 cent was back in 1999 .
chaseman94 1 year ago
Gumby!
judacia 1 year ago
I'm not the Herb you're looking for...
Notouchtail 1 year ago
Wow... I never knew Burger King sold Pepsi... mostly Coke in my area..
rkmugen 1 year ago
I remember these.
snootzie78 1 year ago
dude i want a whooper for 99 cents. there almost 5 bucks now
ChevyManSS350 1 year ago
DAM! 99 cents for a whopper, a pepsi, and fries, now this would cost upto 5$ or even more!!
Coolasion 1 year ago
OH THE GOOD OLE DAYS ONLY WHITE PEOPLE IN COMMERCIALS.NO MEXICANS.THOSE WERE THE DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
dmtdmt1969 1 year ago
wow 99 cent whopper they run for more than 3 dollars now sucks.
Raquel082085 1 year ago
To reference Denis Leary:
WHO THE FUCK IS HERB?! FUCK HERB!
acceptthis01 1 year ago
@acceptthis01 Yeah, it's kind of like Micheal Ellis from Monty Python. Who IS Micheal Ellis?
Humbledingify 1 year ago
Wow, so Burger King's soda contract was with Pepsi in the '80s? I wish it still was. Then again, all I ever drink there is Dr Pepper.
jasoncinema 2 years ago
0:28 GUMBY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
tngu77 2 years ago
The only thing good about that commercial were the cheerleaders.
Pincha0Loaf 2 years ago
@Pincha0Loaf and the fact they still had Pepsi products on tap.
SheriffTankStoner 1 year ago
Quite simply, one of the worst ad campaigns ever. But oh wait! It gets even worse with the incredibly creepy King character! The Execs at BK are idiots.
UncleJeffreySpuds 2 years ago
Other franchises capitalized on this by displaying signs outside their restaurants saying "Herb Eats Here!"
jrcasselman 2 years ago
OOOOOOOOOOO GUMBY!
scatandpounce 2 years ago
The good old days...
nismoblue 2 years ago
I saw a commercial from Adland's Super Bowl commercials list for game 20, and one of the Burger King ads (presumably pre-reveal) was essentially the same as this one, only with the regular hamburger/cheeseburger.
Market42Fan 2 years ago
shyte I wish I can go back to tha 80s jus to say "I'm hot Herb" to get tht for a damn dollar!
cami725 2 years ago 9
Wait, did the customers actually have to say "I'm not Herb" in order to get the deal?
TTOMO 2 years ago
Probably. It was the 80s.
Supertron5000 2 years ago
Whatever happened to Herb? Herb said he never ate at any fast food restaurants.
BigBlueBeast 2 years ago
Ive been watching old BK commericals for a while now, I Just saw the BK switches to pepsi one from 1983, if I had never seen that I would of crapped myself seeing pepsi in this commerical. I was like 6 months old when they switched back to Coke.
abumu 2 years ago
GUMBY!
Blacketer1904 2 years ago
at 12 seconds, the second guy from the left is my friends dad haha, so weird
schoners 2 years ago
Is that Perry the Platypus at the end? lol
newarksgreatest 2 years ago
wow only 99 c. isnt that how much a whopper jr cost.
24pepperhi 2 years ago
Gumby?? Really??
BobBX542 3 years ago
He needs comfort food after one of his friends died in a kiln today, MO-THER!
JMFabianoRPL 2 years ago
@BobBX542 Would've been sooooo much better if that were Eddie Murphy in that suit, but Burger King isn't McDonald's, so they couldn't afford him. "I'm Gumby dammit!"
zymaymyn 1 year ago
fuckin herb
youngndangerous101 3 years ago 16
I'd like to see people go into Burger King today and say "I'm not Herb" to the workers. Kid workers born after this commercial would be so confused. I may just try that.
Sean1983 3 years ago 2
Years later, BK wouldn't learn its lesson when it came to having people do obnoxious things to get money off their orders. Remember when they encouraged you to cluck like a chicken to get a dollar off their chicken sandwiches?
JMFabianoRPL 3 years ago 2
What does Gumby have to do with all this?
KeeganB 3 years ago 3
Hes not herb
UTTuba 3 years ago 2
How awesome were 99 cent whoppers? Whenever they were on sale for that price my mom would always get us some.
mygaffer 3 years ago 3
Yay, Gumby!
Kouban 3 years ago 2
lol
the212soul 3 years ago
Dad threatened to make me into a bowl...
JMFabianoRPL 3 years ago 3
I am not herb
FarmerProductions 3 years ago
Notice the 'prices may vary' disclaimer? Hardly 99 cents.
bjkatcher 3 years ago
I am not Herb
so where's my 99p burger?
lol
leebo444 3 years ago
I just found my "I'm Not Herb" pin yesterday !
caj802 4 years ago
im herb.... lol
TheGaffa99 4 years ago
I have to say this is funny for me b/c this is the commercial that I got my nickname (Herb) from. When I was a kid I used to go around the house saying "I'm not the Herb your looking for" and my family and friends started calling me Herb ever since. I go by Herb to this day outside of work that is.
hrbmsnr 4 years ago 3
BK clearly didn't think through this flop. They were giving $5K to whoever recognized Herb in the store. But they never stopped to consider the obvious question: "If Herb has never had a Whopper, what exactly was he doing in a Burger King in the first place?"
Maestrohbill 4 years ago
Yeah, really...David Hofstede makes the same point in his book "What Were They Thinking?" (a countdown of TV's 100 dumbest moments), comparing Herb to those creepy guys who hang out @ bus stations and noting that b/c BK failed to say what Herb looked like, it led to customers harassing one another by asking "Are you Herb?".
WhatsAYak 4 years ago
Yeah. It actually happened to my Dad. About a dozen folks approached him when he was in line at BK and someone said, "Are you gonna ask him?" You'd think for a million bucks people would have more stones. Btw - my dad was holding his new three-month old son at the time.
Maestrohbill 4 years ago
When did Burger King return to Coke? Maybe it had something to do with Pepsi owning KFC, Taco Bell, & Pizza Hut. Am I right?
dgendvil 4 years ago
Burger King switched back to Coke in 1990. The last of the restaurants acquired by PepsiCo, Kentucky Fried Chicken, had been owned by them since 1986.
88HJS 4 years ago