Burger King sexes up square butts for kids
Seriously, guys, I have no idea what's going on here. The Burger King is measuring women's butts while Sir Mix-a-Lot raps about wanting to "get with" SpongeBob SquarePants. That much I get. That's just Crispin being Crispin. But this is an ad for kids' meals? I'm usually not one to side with the parental-outcry types, yet it's hard to get past the inherent creepiness pouring forth from this unholy union. UPDATE: Below is the full-length music video, wherein parental-outcry types can gain more ammunition. UPDATE 2: Like clockwork, the Campaign for Commercial-Free Childhood weighs in: "It's bad enough when companies use a beloved media character like SpongeBob to promote junk food to children, but it's utterly reprehensible when that character simultaneously promotes objectified, sexualized images of women." Our sister blog BrandFreak has more. —Posted by David Griner |
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April 7, 2009 in Burger King, Crispin Porter, Griner, Restaurants | Permalink |
Comments
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this ad is amazing!
I can't stop laughing
Posted by: Morgan Stone | Apr 7, 2009 10:53:48 AM
The ad was made for the parents/adults that buy the kid's meals for their kids. Not for the kids themselves.
Posted by: Armando Bellmas | Apr 7, 2009 10:58:18 AM
Who is responsible for this??!!
I want to high 5 them.
Posted by: Matt Albiniak | Apr 7, 2009 11:32:03 AM
Hilarious, even if totally beyond wrong.
Posted by: j | Apr 7, 2009 11:42:43 AM
I like this ad but I have to agree with this article. Enough with the borrowed interest!! Crispin Porter is the most overrated agency ever.
Posted by: leo | Apr 7, 2009 11:59:24 AM
Funny or not, I don't want to marry the idea of getting sprung with a celebrated cartoon character.
Posted by: Meh | Apr 7, 2009 12:34:36 PM
Stop saying this shit is good. Re-writing a song (especially a Sir Mix Alot song) is the idea you make when you have no fucking idea. See also Kraft's "It's Crumb-believable". I don't see any difference between the two.
Posted by: oat soda | Apr 7, 2009 1:12:41 PM
Gotta say this spot hits the mark, big-time. Consider the brief, which, at its basest form, was probably along the lines of:
Get kids to go to Burger King to buy/try a Sponge Bob Squarepants kids' meal.
Every execution in the history of advertising prior to this featured kids doing a bite-and-smile, not to mention a nation rolling its collective eyes in response.
Hats off to CPB for speaking to the parents first, and, getting Sir-Mix-A-Lot to be in the spot, which was a nice homage to the original video. Big difference from Kraft.
One can only imagine the look on Mix-A-Lot's face when his agent called, re-introduced himself, and said the magic words "So get this-Burger King wants to use "Baby Got Back" in a commercial."
Posted by: Collins | Apr 7, 2009 1:25:25 PM
Uh-huh. Gotta say i agree that re-writing song lyrics is pretty hack.
http://beats.beggintime.com/?mId=29715378emb=3
Posted by: burns | Apr 7, 2009 1:44:10 PM
I am not a mom activist by any means, but this is uh... pretty disturbing. Honestly, it makes me never want to go to Burger King again.
Not just because it's offensive, but it's just plain dumb. Do they really want to associate Burger King Food with "Big Butts?"
Posted by: Sarah (Real Life) | Apr 7, 2009 3:34:24 PM
It's funny and creepy as per usual. And I don't think anyone other than CPB would go there.
Posted by: golublog | Apr 7, 2009 4:26:28 PM
I'm Lovin' it!
Posted by: Rich | Apr 7, 2009 5:02:41 PM
I'd like it even if it wasn't funny, which it is, simply because CCFC protests it. Poor precious snowflakes might realize there's a humorous way to look at the female gender? Heaven help us, we can't have that.
Posted by: Lee Ann | Apr 7, 2009 6:31:47 PM
As stupendously wrong as this is, it made me laugh like hell.
Posted by: Matt | Apr 8, 2009 12:37:25 AM
Some of the lyrics are just ridiculous.
http://www.songspeak.com/you-other-sponges-dont-want-none-unless-you-rock-square-buns/
There's a line about thongs that's kind of funny though.
Posted by: Matt | Apr 8, 2009 2:31:17 PM
As if "The King" wasn't creepy enough, now he is trying to sell sex to kids? How does even the most jaded jerk think this is OK?
Posted by: dsrtrosy | Apr 8, 2009 6:06:30 PM
Well, at least they're honest - you will get a big azz from eating too much crap junk food... irony at its best... lol
Posted by: childofnite | Apr 8, 2009 6:18:34 PM
I think I was down with it until the "Booty is Booty" line.
Posted by: Bill | Apr 9, 2009 8:39:24 PM
I have not touched Burger King since they started that stupid Creepy Face King in tights commercials. Burger King would torture kittens if they thought it would get you to talk about them. I'll never eat there again.
Posted by: HateBK | Apr 13, 2009 3:01:13 AM
I like the idea of bring Sir-Mix-alot and Spongebob together in a commercial. The first time I saw this ad, I thought it was hilarious. I think it's a pretty clever route to go, but I do agree a little bit with the post that it might be on the edge of being a little too creepy. However, the part that gets the kids on board is just having Spongebob in it, I don't really think it's completely crossed over into being too bad for kids. Just a fine line to watch.
Posted by: Ellie | Apr 13, 2009 1:32:29 PM
so f@#$! beyond awesome that i'm speachless.
eYESclick tongue in ear award winner
Posted by: arthurbarbato twitter | Apr 14, 2009 11:46:45 AM
honestly, people think far too much into comercials and shows. I'm 15, my lil 10 and 7 year old sister, and my parents love this song, and none of them even think about buying burger king.
Get off the kings back, people don't realize what he's actually saying. I like square butts? Honestly, i have never seen a square butt in my life. If anyone walks in with four corners anywhere i'm leavin.
All that the CCFC are using as their bases is how inappropriate the orignal "I like big butts" song is. Whenever i hear parodies, i don't look for the original immediately. Almost EVERYONE has heard big butts by now, and the fact that people are complaining that their kids might like square butts is outrageous. I mean come on, you act like this does anything wrong to women. he's talking about 1 sponge. a dude sponge.
Just leave King alone, didn't know one say anything when these male singers sing songs about women portrayin the perfect type of girl or when these disney teens look hot as hell and portray a lifestyle of glamour and sex. The song was funny and pretty cool, that's it. It really has no obvious meaning other than buy burger king. Seriously, the CCFC won't be happy until commercials come on after a show and just say "Buy burger King" and "Shop at walmart". They will always find something wrong. When will people learn that you cant control children!? We are a rebelious kind, when we reach our fed-up level, kids nationwide rebel. Where do you think short shorts, mini skirts, rap, goths and emos came from? Its called protest and honestly their beginning to piss me off with the "It's not child appropriate" bull. When a kid goes his whole childhood without having dirty thoughts, what do you think is gonna happen when the wouldbe dirty thoughts, turn into actions? He won't think it, he'll just try it, and boom, he's hooked. he's had no experience with it before so he'll keep on wit it till something happens.
Basically, just leave the King be, i like the commercial and anyone who things it's degrading or wrongful to use square butts for kids meals has a stick up their butts
Posted by: ADL3 | Apr 14, 2009 1:29:31 PM
ADL3, I admire you. Aside from the fact that you're 15, and you're here setting the record straight, you're making all valid points. As a 21-year old, I may not be as young, but I agree wholeheartedly. I have always admired CPB for creating edgy and ultimately DIFFERENT advertising. And from an advertising standpoint, isn't that what we're all striving for?
Oat Soda made the point: "Every execution in the history of advertising prior to this featured kids doing a bite-and-smile, not to mention a nation rolling its collective eyes in response."
I'm sick and tired of those ads. They're ineffective and don't make me remember the ad, let alone prompt me to go get a burger.
Like you said ADL3, parents are by and large, much more overprotective than they need to be. This ad isn't opening their children's eyes to the "horrors" that exist in the world. That's a ludicrous notion to have.
Burger King said the ad wasn't targeted directly at children; it was directed towards adults who bring their families to BK. Is that a bulls--t statement? Could be. But then why was the media buy during the NCAA championship? Here is Nielsen's guide to the 2009 NCAA tournament:
http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/2009_ncaa-tournament-guide.pdf
Not only are viewers avid fast food goers, but they're beer drinkers as well. The media buy, combined with this data doesn't sound like too many of you precious children saw the commercial's initial airing.
And let me just ad one more point: African-Americans homes maintain a higher viewing percentage than the average national composite. Using a classic like Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back"...brilliant. Who am I to say? I'm black.
This ad was excellent.
Posted by: Amadeo | Apr 14, 2009 2:55:16 PM
you guys are all crazy, because that song is fucking hilarious!!!
Posted by: Pattar10 | Apr 15, 2009 5:44:01 PM
You like this ad? Sit Mix a Lot says "booty is booty at the end"
This ad is for shit
Posted by: neil-o | Apr 16, 2009 12:44:06 PM
It's not the song-kids don't really pay attention. But the girls dancing is completely innapropriate, given the actual age group that watch spongebob religiously and eat the kids meals they're promoting. I'll admit it-if this was on Spike Network or Comedy Central after my kids were in bed, I would laugh my butt off with this video. Even if the kids were awake I'd find it funny, if the dancing wasn't so provocotive. They could've still used spongebob, just not so suggestively. And the "booty is booty" comment-no kid's gonna care. Shrek had tons of innapropriate phrases in it, and my kids never flinched, because it was done right. There's an appropriate way to reach the actual buyer (the parents) while advertising to the target (the kids)
Posted by: MomOf3 | Apr 16, 2009 12:48:54 PM
I've just seen this ad on Sunday morning television during the middle of "The Rookie", a family movie. I have purchased my last meal from Burger King (last week) and will never return to any BK franchise again.
Disappointing on multiple levels, I urge the Burger King administration to re-evaluate their marketing message and the impact on the market. Although I'm only one customer, I suspect I represent millions of parents who are equally disappointed.
RWS
Posted by: RWS | Apr 19, 2009 11:46:03 AM
People who get offended over this probably get offended over everything. Go find a hobby. And a sense of humor while your at it. This commercial made me laugh.
Posted by: haha@you | Apr 20, 2009 9:32:52 PM
Seriously, stop being totally offended, your kids don't get it, everyone else thinks its hysterical. Grease is a popular children's movie... with LOTS of innuendo! Maybe you guys could boycott that next? And yes, they re wrote big butts, but sir mix alot did it, I think its really clever. "your butt is cubical" its hysterical.
Posted by: yarly | Apr 21, 2009 12:31:19 PM
And seriously, that isnt exactly provactive, LMAO, look @ the dance at 1 minute, if anything I think its just a playful poke at most rap music videos which SOME MOTHERS *gasp!* listen to and watch. In this world I think square butt shaking is the least of your worries.
Posted by: yarly | Apr 21, 2009 12:36:16 PM
haha@you, I love Monty Python, Peter Sellars, Steve Martin, and lots of funny stuff. George Carlin, RIP.
Surreal stuff, too, like Terry Gilliam, or way back to Jean Cocteau.
This crap wasn't funny, it's disturbing. The folks that like it are probably insular dormroom types who happen to have gained gigs pretending to be creatives. (more like Silver (the new gold) winners at the Hipster Olympics) by way of their connections. Certainly not by talent.
Posted by: Rich | May 4, 2009 2:39:50 AM
It may be wrong, wrong, wrong but I can't ever get that song out of my head. My 8 year old son goes around singing "I like square butts" I had no clue this was even out there because I Tivo almost everything and click skip to get past the commercials.
I just thought it was the kids version of Baby Got Back on Nick or something...
I agree with a previous commentator: Don't associate your FOOD product in any way, shape, or form with BIG BUTTS! or butts in anyway! Even if you like Big Butts or round butts or square butts, whatever the case may be.
This one is really mild compared to some other BK commercials, though!
Posted by: Briana | May 7, 2009 2:53:12 PM
I've seen many mind blowing ads in my life but is the person that dresses up like a king
dressing that way because he's a pedifile or is he a pedifile who likes to dress up like a king. Well what ever the answer is the network that runs his spots must like little boy's also.I guess that networks don't care as long as they get some of the action too.
Posted by: dinc | Sep 1, 2009 10:31:06 PM
