Burger King's slogan is “have it your way,” but if most parents could truly have it their way, the fast food chain wouldn't have released its latest vulgar advertisement. Burger King's new sandwich, the BK Super Seven Incher, is featured in an extremely crude advertisement [1] that is obviously suggestive, and begs the question, Why is Burger King bringing in sex to sell sandwiches?
The advertisement, “Blow Your Mind Away,” features a woman in bright red lipstick, looking shocked. Her mouth is wide open, with the sandwich extending from the edge of picture. The caption boldly states: IT'LL BLOW your mind away. Just in case viewers don't get the sexual reference, there is another picture of the sandwich with the caption: “BK Super Seven Incher.” Even the fine print is suggestive: “Fill your desire for something long, juicy and flame-grilled with the New BK Super Seven Incher. Yearn for more after you taste the mind-blowing burger that comes with a single beef patty…”
We got the “hidden” message Burger King. Mathue Shell, of Geekstir, [3] stated it flatly: “What do you think of, when you think of eating a sandwich from Burger King? Oral Sex? Of course!” It's not as if the message is hard to miss though. Tanner Stransky, of Entertainment Weekly, wrote [4], “Mmhmm, I think it's safe to assume that such humor will only be going over the head of those younger than, oh, about 13 years old. (Sorry, parents!)”
American parents actually don't have to worry about their children viewing this advertisement, unless they're heading to Singapore [5], where the ad was produced and where it will run exclusively. While it may have a more limited market, that certainly doesn't make it less offensive.
Yet Burger King has aired sexual advertisements aimed at children before with the “ Sponge Bob Square Butts” advertisement. The Culture & Media Institute's [6] Erin Brown wrote, “Burger King kid's meal featuring sexual images inappropriate for children, including sexy women in tight outfits dancing to a parody of the notoriously raunchy tune, 'Baby Got Back.'”
Note to Burger King: Lose the sex and stick to burgers.