BK's new "pornoburger"

What is it with these burger joints selling more sex than food? Burger King has jumped on the trashy bandwagon with its latest campaign for the "BK Super Seven Incher." Just take a gander at the innuendo-laden ad:

bk-blow.jpg

Ed Morrissey of Hot Air noted...

I'm pretty sure I'm safe in assuming that the originators of this campaign were men. The model in the pic suggests that they were men more familiar with blow-up dolls than real women, too. How many moms will make the choice to go to Burger King after this? Or will they opt for the more friendly atmosphere at McDonald's, Wendy's, and other fast-food options?...

... [W]e've moved a long way from "Have it your way." Now we have PornoBurger. What's next, a celebrity endorsement from Ron Jeremy?

I had to look up Ron Jeremy.

Sexing up burgers is apparently a new trend for BK. Recall its entirely inappropriate SpongeBob SquareButtsPants tv ad a few months back.


Comments:

And this is why I prefer my local chain Runza or Subway for "Fast food".

Posted by: LizFromNebraska at July 6, 2009 1:10 PM


I hear this ad was created in Singapore for their local market only, but still, what a bad message from Burger King, an AMERICAN company. Sounds like BK has lost control over its branding.

I like Quiznos for subs and Mickey D's for hamburgers.

Posted by: Janet at July 6, 2009 4:58 PM


I"m not sure I would have made the connection here with the ad and the sexual context.

Does anyone remember the zoodles label controversy in the 1990's?

Heres a link with pictures of the label.

http://www.retrojunk.com/details_articles/2671/

Posted by: angel at July 6, 2009 5:29 PM


If it was created for Singapore, why is there a U.S. dollar amount on the ad??

Posted by: Kel at July 6, 2009 6:15 PM


I don't know.

I think this interpretation is a bit of a stretch.

How does the 'Whopper' fit into this scenario?

It has been around as long as Burger King.

My solution is to 'Eat Mor Chikin' at Chick-fil-A.

Fur kills, but feathers are fun.

Posted by: kbhvac at July 6, 2009 6:18 PM


Yuck! What is with these people? Do they really think I want to associate THAT with something Im about to eat?

Posted by: Kristen at July 6, 2009 6:32 PM


Bleh.

Posted by: carla Author Profile Page at July 6, 2009 7:19 PM


No more degrading than the US Hardie's ads.

Posted by: Mark at July 6, 2009 8:01 PM


Oh, GROSS. I don't eat at Burger King, but after this I'm making sure I NEVER eat at Burger King.

Posted by: Marauder at July 6, 2009 8:25 PM


I'm pretty sure I'm safe in assuming that the originators of this campaign were men.

I dunno. Remember the Apprentice years ago when the girls' team came up with the plane ad where everything was innuendo? This is remarkably like that.

We women are good at being the ruination of our own gender. :( Didn't we learn that from the article on askmen.com recently?

Posted by: MaryRose at July 6, 2009 9:09 PM


ok I'm gonna try posting again:
I don't really see much sexual innuendo here to be honest.
Does anyone remember the 1990's zoodles label:

http://www.retrojunk.com/details_articles/2671/

Posted by: angel at July 6, 2009 9:48 PM


"The model in the pic suggests that they were men more familiar with blow-up dolls than real women, too"

LOL at this.

Posted by: gigi at July 6, 2009 9:55 PM


Sex sells....and I think what BK was trying to get at was that if you eat their burger it will be as good as an orgasm or some crap that like.
Just another add for those American's that have a love affair with food.

Posted by: AK Krystal at July 6, 2009 10:55 PM


Actually, I want to know who needs seven inches of who knows what sort of meat product, melted cheese, bread, and whatever else comes in that thing washed down with more soda and French fries than any human heart need bear.

It's like $6.25 for heart disease. And I would imagine that seeing the amount of calories in that thing would set off an attack for me at least.

Hello- who needs that much "food?"

Posted by: Vannah at July 7, 2009 12:43 AM


Burger King has to be hurting - instead of using real models, they're grabbing stock photos from porn sites. She's not even looking at the food.

The ad agency must be trying to sell to adolescent boys, and not working moms.

I also think the ad has not only misogynistic, but also racial overtones, more so after watching the squarebutts video.

Posted by: Chris Arsenault at July 7, 2009 7:00 AM


Just called corporate headquarters to complain and let them
know their vulgar ad has made me pledge to never set foot
into a BK again, as long as I live. I would certainly never
take one of my granchildren to such a depraved business.

They claimed it was only to have run in Singapore.

Whatever, it is still filth - no country deserves to be assaulted
with this kind of garbage.

They deserve to go out of business over this ad campaign.

Posted by: Leslie Hanks at July 7, 2009 9:18 AM


This ad is completely over the line and unacceptable.

I just called Burger King as well. The number is 305-378-3535; see also http://www.bk.com/CompanyInfo/contactus.aspx. They also gave me the line about the ad being run only in Singapore. I said the ad was inappropriate and should not have been run anywhere. I'd invite others to call as well; if they get enough calls, maybe they'll pull it.

Posted by: Stephen Hayford at July 7, 2009 11:20 AM


I doubt most people want to think about fellatio while they're eating. I would think heterosexual males (and there's a lot of those) in particular do not want to associate their lunch with servicing a man. Not a very attractive way to portray a meal.

Also, ads like this remind of racist ads (still available for viewing and/or purchacse in antique shops and museums) with an African American with exaggerated features eating watermelon or something. If KJC released an ad with a person in black face smacking their lips at fried chicken, that would end the company. We would never tolerate that. So what makes BK any different?

Posted by: Janette at July 7, 2009 11:53 AM


I'm sorry, that should read "KFC."

Posted by: Janette at July 7, 2009 11:54 AM


heh, I sure hope they aren't trying to appeal to men....

Posted by: Rosie at July 7, 2009 12:52 PM


....hmmm...where's your mind?

Obviously, in the same place as mine. However, the truely innocent would think nothing of the ad.

I think it shows that some of us aren't as righteous as we think we are..

Posted by: soonerman at July 7, 2009 4:04 PM


....hmmm...where's your mind?

Obviously, in the same place as mine. However, the truely innocent would think nothing of the ad.

I think it shows that some of us aren't as righteous as we think we are..

Posted by: soonerman at July 7, 2009 4:04 PM

Come off it. The ad is intentionally provocative. I fail to see how if one points out the very obviously suggestive theme that makes them less righteous than they think they are. But I guess you'd rather make a passive aggressive accusation that people here are self-righteous than speak out against the degradation of women.

Posted by: Janette at July 7, 2009 4:50 PM


Euw! I'm never eating that sandwich! This is a common problem in advertising, however. I can't tell you how many times Dove has created a commercial in which a woman is having an erotic experience with her cookie or chocolate.

Posted by: Progo35 at July 8, 2009 3:44 PM


[BLECH]

I only used to go to BK for the fries and Veggie Burgers (before I found out they've got egg products in them), but I was done with BK when it put out the commercial with the female gym teacher B-slapping her male colleague across the face. Misogyny exists; so does misandry.

Posted by: bmmg39 at July 8, 2009 3:45 PM


Progo,

VERY common. How about the (Uncle Ben's I think) rice commercial that ran years ago where they put the rice in the microwave, make out, and the commercial ends with them pulling the rice out of the microwave?

Posted by: MaryRose at July 8, 2009 8:42 PM