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Burger King Corporation today announced it is offering a reward of BURGER BUCKS® good for a one year's supply of Original WHOPPER® sandwiches for information leading to the safe return of missing SpongeBob SquarePants inflatables.

The gigantic blow-up figures began popping up on tops of BURGER KING® restaurants on November 11, 2004 and have been recently disappearing from their lofty perches across the nation.

These incredibly fun and amazingly yellow blow-up figures are part of the largest inflatable promotion in the history of the Quick Service Restaurant industry, with just over 4,700 BURGER KING® restaurants playing home to a 9-foot inflatable SpongeBob SquarePants. These inflatables are a larger-than-life reminder that BURGER KING® restaurants currently offer a number of collectible toys and watches featuring SpongeBob and Friends.

However, even these toys and watches are disappearing at an alarming rate, through both mundane and mysterious means, from BURGER KING® restaurants everywhere.

"As to the motives behind these apparent 'spongenappings,' we can only speculate. We did receive one ransom note related to an inflatable SpongeBob disappearance in Minnesota," said Russ Klein, Chief Marketing Officer, Burger King Corporation.

"Now, of course, Burger King Corporation does not condone 'spongenappings' and strongly discourages anyone from going on rooftops or doing anything illegal to swipe a Spongebob SquarePants Inflatable," said Klein. "Our reward only applies to previously 'napped Spongebob SquarePants Inflatables."

"We are concerned about our missing, massive sponges and the effect their absence is having on SpongeBob fans, employees, children and parents everywhere. We hope the reward will help these AWOL SpongeBobs find their way home," Mr. Klein said.

Anyone with information leading to the safe return of a missing SpongeBob SquarePants inflatable should call (305) 378-3998 to qualify for the reward.

About The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie Promotion at BURGER KING® Restaurants
Burger King Corporation and Nickelodeon have teamed up to offer BURGER KING® Guests the opportunity to collect 12 different toys from The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. Guests can also choose to purchase any of five different watches featuring SpongeBob and Friends. The watches are available for $1.99 with the purchase of any value meal. Pricing and participation may vary. For a limited time while supplies last.

For more details visit the Burger King web site.

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