The Diary: Who's pilfering Joseph Parker?

Boxer Joseph Parker. Photo / Getty Images

The five-fingered discount is usually discouraged by businesses, but Burger King NZ is unfazed by the number of lifesize cardboard cutouts of heavyweight boxing champ Joseph Parker that have been brazenly filched from their restaurants.

The fast-food chain has shrugged its shoulders at the thefts, instead viewing the misappropriation as an extension of their marketing campaign with the boxer. In other words, it's all good publicity.

"Yes, we've lost a few of the Joseph Parker standees, but to be honest, we're not surprised. We thought we'd lose a few out of our restaurants. They're pretty hot property," said Burger King's general manager of marketing, James Woodbridge.

"We printed spares so we could replenish our restaurants."

How many Parker pretenders have gone on the run? "A few," Woodbridge says modestly.

Parker is chuffed by his purloined popularity, telling The Diary he is "flattered by the attention", and he hopes he "goes to a good home".

A photo of two female fans boarding a train with a lifesize Parker under their wing was sent to the boxer on social media. He was amused; so too the fast-food chain. Evidently it's a thumbs-up from everyone all round.

Burger King is the naming right sponsor to Parker's local fights this year, excluding Fight for Life, which is understood to be taking place in December with fast-food brand rival KFC again.

How much Burger King is spending to back the boxer is undisclosed and commericially sensitive, the company says. A promotional advertisement for Parker (and featuring Parker) illustrates how collaborative the partnership deal is.

No stranger to marketing reward campaigns for customers - they have, on occasion, given away burger vouchers when the NZ Breakers wins or scores over 100 points - Burger King offered $2 Whoppers if their sponsored athlete won his bout on Saturday night.

Parker did; knocking out opponent Yakup Saglam in two rounds.

Whoppers went on sale at $2. The promotional deal ran from 12-2pm nationwide yesterday (excluding Auckland and Christchurch airport chains), and was a resounding success - going by the negative feedback on the company's website.

Complaints about long queues, stores running out of burgers, and some customers waiting an hour in the drive-through lane, indicates the campaign "was a phenomenal success", says Burger King.

While many question sponsorship relationships between unhealthy food and beverage brands and elite sports people - McDonald's supports the Olympic Games and Fifa, KFC backs Super Rugby and the ICC Cricket World Cup, Wendy's sponsors the Warriors et cetera - Burger King is proud of their brand association with the boxing star.

"Whether Joe wins or loses, we think he has a long-term future and we are right behind him. We are both getting value out of the sponsorship," Woodbridge said.

- nzherald.co.nz