Burger King goes off the deep end, again, this time in Mexico
Filed under: Food, Consumer Complaints
Burger King is at it again with its wacky ads that often seem to offend at least one facet of society. This time, the self-proclaimed king of the grilled hamburger is insulting an entire country.
Update: Burger King says it will pull the ads as fast as commercially possible, meaning they're still on TV and elsewhere in Europe for now, but should be removed soon.
According to an Associated Press story, ad ad for Burger King's chili-flavored "Texican" burger that has run in Europe shows a small wrestler wearing a cape resembling a Mexican flag living with a tall American cowboy to illustrate how two can get together for a cross-border blend of flavors.
"The taste of Texas with a little spicy Mexican," a narrator says.
UPDATE: Burger King announced that it was pulling the ad and apologized.
But here's the ad if you want to see what it was like:
The backstory is this: Mexico's ambassador to Spain wrote a letter to Burger King's office there objecting to the ad and asking that it be removed because the ads "improperly use the stereotyped image of a Mexican."
Burger King has done this before, with ads about Whopper virgins who have never tasted the hamburger before, and its marketing has been a bit on the wild side. Around Christmas it introduced its "Flame" body spray to give men a chance to smell like flame-broiled meat, and in January it pulled ads offering a free Whopper to anyone getting rid of 10 Facebook friends. >
Being edgy is great, but offending a nation is a new low. Mexico has strict rules about using its flag. In 2008 the government fined a foreign-owned publishing house for showing disrespect to the country's flag in a video posted online.
A Taco Bell ad in the 1990s featuring a talking Chihuahua with a Mexican accent spurred objections among Mexicans and other Hispanics in the United States.
So far, the "Texican" ad hasn't reached the United States, but when it does, especially in areas that border Mexico, get ready for some more outrage.
Aaron Crowe is an unemployed journalist in the San Francisco Bay Area. Read about his job search at www.AaronCrowe.net
Update: Burger King says it will pull the ads as fast as commercially possible, meaning they're still on TV and elsewhere in Europe for now, but should be removed soon.
According to an Associated Press story, ad ad for Burger King's chili-flavored "Texican" burger that has run in Europe shows a small wrestler wearing a cape resembling a Mexican flag living with a tall American cowboy to illustrate how two can get together for a cross-border blend of flavors.
"The taste of Texas with a little spicy Mexican," a narrator says.
UPDATE: Burger King announced that it was pulling the ad and apologized.
But here's the ad if you want to see what it was like:
The backstory is this: Mexico's ambassador to Spain wrote a letter to Burger King's office there objecting to the ad and asking that it be removed because the ads "improperly use the stereotyped image of a Mexican."
Burger King has done this before, with ads about Whopper virgins who have never tasted the hamburger before, and its marketing has been a bit on the wild side. Around Christmas it introduced its "Flame" body spray to give men a chance to smell like flame-broiled meat, and in January it pulled ads offering a free Whopper to anyone getting rid of 10 Facebook friends.
Being edgy is great, but offending a nation is a new low. Mexico has strict rules about using its flag. In 2008 the government fined a foreign-owned publishing house for showing disrespect to the country's flag in a video posted online.
A Taco Bell ad in the 1990s featuring a talking Chihuahua with a Mexican accent spurred objections among Mexicans and other Hispanics in the United States.
So far, the "Texican" ad hasn't reached the United States, but when it does, especially in areas that border Mexico, get ready for some more outrage.
Aaron Crowe is an unemployed journalist in the San Francisco Bay Area. Read about his job search at www.AaronCrowe.net
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 20)
4-14-2009 @ 4:12PM
TOMMY said...
Big deal, truth hurts.
Reply
4-14-2009 @ 4:25PM
shralla said...
"The taste of Texas with a little spicy Mexican"?
Come on, that's hilarious. People take shit too seriously.
Reply
4-14-2009 @ 9:19PM
kaye said...
shralla i totally agree--why cant people make fun of others and it not be taken so seriously. You KNOW us Americans are made fun of all the time.
4-14-2009 @ 9:43PM
Ebonie said...
I watched the ad, but don't understand how that phrase, let alone the commercial, is offensive either
4-15-2009 @ 12:01AM
4got said...
omg what a joke this is. R u kidden me? GEEEEET OVEEEERRRR IIIIIITTTTT!!!!!!! theres nothing wrong with comercial...
4-15-2009 @ 4:57AM
t dogg said...
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I lol-ed for like 10 minutes after reading that!
4-15-2009 @ 8:58AM
jason said...
I don't see an issue with it....they are using a stereotype for the guy from Texas as well. It's not like they are trying to be offensive and people should lighten up a bit. Everyone is always crying about there feelings being hurt.....boo hoo.
4-15-2009 @ 12:29PM
Niki said...
The thing is traditional Mexican food is very bland, or is so compared to Texas food. Remember TX is known for BBQ, AND Tex Mex. So they really should say "The taste of Mexico with a little spicy Texan"
Also, Ive been called a Texican before, and find it offensive. Perhaps I did only because I am 100% caucasian, and have never even been to mexico. Not sure what a texan-mexican would see it as. Its possible that "texican" started out as a combination of "texas" and "american" since many here claim being a Texan before claiming being an American. It may also just be a humorous way of saying "one who is from Texas" and has nothing to do with mexico at all
If anything I find the Texas stereotype offensive. We're always seen as crazy redneck cowboys. And here is this guy, continuing the portrayal. When I think of a mexican stereotype I think of someone like speedy gonzales, not some mexican wrestler. And I loved that Yo quiero Taco Bell dog. I mean hes a chihuahua! Where is Chihuahua? MEXICO! Of course hes gonna have an accent!
4-15-2009 @ 12:52PM
Doug said...
My exact thoughts. I was ROTFLMAO when I heard that part. The taste of Texas with a little tiny mexican. LOLOLOLOL. Now THAT'S funny I don't care who you are....
4-14-2009 @ 4:27PM
Yas2Six said...
I Love ALL Burger King commercials. Some of which should've offended me, but people really need to find something constructive to do and get over the unimportant things that are just meant for entertainment....
Reply
4-14-2009 @ 9:36PM
Lanette said...
yeah but if the American flag was used in this way....
4-15-2009 @ 12:27PM
alma said...
AMEN! HAHA! This is a COMMERCIAL that is being used to eliicit this type of response. They want their name discussed and talked about. I am a woman, a blonde and I work in a feed store. All of which leads to jokes about me being a dumb blonde butch female. NONE of which offend me.. WHO CARES!!
4-14-2009 @ 4:29PM
Swinny said...
I can't believe people are that fragile! C'mon, take the ad for what it is - GET OVER IT!
Reply
4-14-2009 @ 4:34PM
Chalupa said...
Mexico doesn't respect other countries' laws regarding immigration, extradition, etc... so why should Burger King respect their rules regarding the use of its flag? Especially if the ads are not even airing in that country. How messed up it is when some folks will fight for people's rights to burn our flag, while we go so far as to chastise our companies for airing a commercial where a character drapes himself in something "resembling" a Mexican flag. I actually usually vote democrat, but I really don't like knee-jerk pc crap. The tragedy of a two-party system....
Reply
4-14-2009 @ 4:58PM
jw said...
amen you have hit the nail on the head.......
4-14-2009 @ 9:15PM
Alexander said...
This is to Nancy Smith, I'm a Christian who lives in the U.S. I take crap every day of my life for my choice to follow Jesus Christ. Every time I turn the other cheek and try not to hold it against them. By the way, did you here what happpened when some cartoons of Mohammed turned up in Danish newspapers? 25 plus people died in the resulting riots. We take more crap than any other religion. We are anything but thin skinned.
4-14-2009 @ 9:28PM
sodapop2006 said...
I agree with most of what is said here today. Mexico is a Drug Country full of violent criminals who prey on their own and who have no regard for Americans except when we hand out freebies to them.
Go Burger King!
Next, Mexicans will go after Taco Bell for selling Tacos. What a small simple mind they have.
Imagine how small a Mexicans government is when an ad in Europe by an American firm pisses them off.
Wait until Obama frees Cuba. Someone will get upset when Cubans are depicted as Beard wearing tee-shirted dark skin people. ha The crap will fly again.
Stay tuned for more entertainment folks... this is all this is. A moment in the entertainment space of time. LOL
Besides, ask what California, Arizona & New Mexico would be like if all 12 million illegal Mexicans left America and went back to their violent corrupt country? Peaceful, I would guess. Sad but true...
Lets pick on the Cubans & Muslims. They seem to be the silent ones sneaking up the power chain.
Let's see what would happen if a Muslim was shown holding two pork hotdogs up above his head in a hotdog ad or a group of Cubans lined up in front of Goodyear Tire Co asking for a free inner tube to go back to Cuba.
Wow, we could start a revolution!
4-14-2009 @ 9:37PM
Lanette said...
you really want to reference immigration? have you ever seen how those people live in Mexico? My goodness, some live in "houses" that look like shacks...without roofs...
4-15-2009 @ 7:57PM
Jesus said...
This is to Alexander: How stupid you must be to say that christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world. as a jew, i find it hard to believe that you can say that when my people have been persecuted constantly for thousands of years. christianity is the most accepted and most widely subscribed to fantasy. Christianity as a universalizing religion is designed to hold other religions as inferior, blasphemous, and wrong. Therefore, it is hypocritical, not to mention completely ridiculous and unfounded, to claim that christians are the most hated people in the world, when in fact it is the exact opposite that is true. (btw, jesus is bullshit)
4-14-2009 @ 4:33PM
Frank said...
Much ado about nothing.
Reply