The Banned and the Unbanned: A Tale of Two Ads
Television commercials work, that’s why they are still around - and why advertisers are still paying top dollar for 30 second slots of television time during popular programs, sporting events and news broadcasts. Even now, during the age of TiVo and the DVR, television commercials still manage to make an impact. If the medium was obsolete, there wouldn’t likely be so much uproar over “offensive” TV ads.
When I heard a news teaser yesterday about a new Burger King ad being pulled off the air for being “offensive” I knew exactly which one it was. I had seen it several times, and thought it was mildly funny, but I knew that it wouldn’t be long before some people would be up in arms about it.
Oh, I get it. SpongeBob SQUARE pants! And as a product of the MTV generation, I know that song well. But I figured that many parents would think it inappropriate, as the ad is for a Kid’s Meal.
But guess what? That’s not the ad in question at all - apparently no one has a problem with using booty shaking and an extremely sexual song to promote a product geared towards children.
Nope, the ad that has been banned by Burger King is this one, for BK’s Texican Whopper:
My first thought was that it is “offensive” to professional wrestlers, but apparently that’s not it. According to the Houston Chronicle, the ad is “offensive” in “half a dozen ways”, including the argument that the cape worn by the luchador looks too much like the Mexican national flag, and that the pool scene looked as if it were implying that the Mexican character was swimming across the Rio Grande.
I’m speechless. Maybe I’m insensitive, but I watched that ad five times, and never made either of those connections.
While neither of these BK ads really offends me, it’s the first one that I would have suspected of drawing the fire… But what the heck do I know?
April 17th, 2009 at 11:41 am
What the crap happened to Texans’ sense of humor? Why is the second ad bad at all? It takes two over-the-top spoofy stereotypes for a reason … it’s great marketing … as for the first one … not even funny, no connection, BAD commercial that I try to avoid at all costs … shame on you Sir Mix-a-lot … selling out for a good product is one thing … selling out for something that makes Milli Vanilli look good …. shame on you
April 17th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
That first ad was the #3 most viral video for an ad last week (according to Visible Measures, a video-measurement firm). As for me, if it’s got the Burger King in it I love it! I guess you either love it or hate it. Watching the King get down makes me love it.
As to the second video, I like that one too. I have a hard time dissin’ anything CP&B (BK’s ad agency) puts out. But I watched it a couple times, waiting for something offensive to happen… just one offensive thing, much less a dozen. Still waiting. Maybe I’ll have a Texican Whopper while I think about it.
February 25th, 2010 at 10:24 pm
It’s amazing how so many things can be so “offensive” nowadays. The BK guy creeps me out, but the second ad is just fine, I can’t see any offensive junk in it at all. Lame
March 9th, 2010 at 3:29 am
in every investement transaction, it is really important to read the investment policy statement..