(Image courtesy www.rediff.com)
Bad taste? The Hindu goddess Lakshmi and a new BK burger are placed under a slogan claiming 'La merienda es sagrada' – the snack is sacred.
All bad things come in 3 for Burger King apparently.
Their latest in a string of culturally insensitive advertisements depicts the Hindu Goddess of Wealth Lakshmi seated with a 'Texican Whopper' at her feet. What is in the burger you ask? An all-beef patty, a beef chilli-con-carne slice and egg-based Cajun mayonnaise. Oh, by the way, most strict Hindus avoid all of the above mentioned products.
I just can't imagine what the thought process of the ad execs who designed this ad must have been..."Hmm, I know, I'll use an image from a religion that forbids its followers to eat meat, specifically beef, to sell...ahem...BURGERS..." It just seems a bit ridiculous.
But apparently this sandwich seems to be a magnet for trouble...The Telegraph reports that
"Earlier this year, Burger King offended Mexican officials with another advertisement for the 'Texican Whopper' which depicted a dwarf dressed as a wrestler draped in the Mexican flag."
BK's other tacky ad? You know, the one for BK Super Seven Incher... guaranteed to "blow" our minds away.
The thing that bothers me about all these ads is how incredibly tacky, tasteless and just plain dumb they are. Whatever happened to clever, eye-catching and thought provoking ad campaigns?
What do you think? Are we veering towards an an era of excessive political correctness? Are we shying away from creativity for the fear of offending people or is there something seriously wrong with these ads?
