OT Burger King add

[Birddog]

I almost put this under the other thread re NB's adds, but was afraid it would hijack that thread. Just curious what others think of the BK add. Personally, I like it, Hee Haw meets Wizard of Oz with a parody to a hobo song. I'm even gonna try a sandwich as soon as I figure out what hours Brooke Burke is working the drive-up window.

Birddog

[Matthew]

I find the adds a bit creepy myself. Especially the first one when the king ends up in bed with the guy. There is something scary about that dude.

[IXXI]

I'm a fan too-- a big fan of BK's overall new approach to their ads-- both on- and offline. Sometimes weird and quirky, but in that category, they give BK a voice...finally. Order something from them and even the bag and wrapper it comes in echoes it. That's serious attention to detail on everything the consumer interacts with.

Here's a great article on the agency, Crispin Porter & Bogusky, who handles the account, with a mention of the brainstorming for the spot you're referencing: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/93/roost.html

A

[IXXI]

Yeah! The 'wake up with the king' spot was soooo random. The thought itself isn't, but how it was executed was...really interesting. My faves are "The Office" spots. Those are pulled off extremely well.

When a brand manager on the client side has the balls/gusto/insight/whatever to green light spots like these, then I say bless 'em!

In the end though, being weird for weird's sake is a waste of money. Hopefully this offbeat stuff actually connects with people and moves their market position the right way.

[bulliedawg]

As a southerner who believes deeply in the importance of country and bluegrass music as an important connection to and celebration of my roots, I find the BK ads repulsive.

I will never understand why it's considered A-OK to stereotype southerners, but it's considered offensive to portray other cultures as stereotypes.

Just my 2 cents.

[IXXI]

Good points, bulliedawg.

My old partner at work for many years hailed from Alabama and gave me new perspective on many things I took for granted, beginning with the war or northern aggression. I thought I had it all down pretty well until I wrote an ad that offended my girlfriend at the time who was African American! (Unnnnn-comfortable!!) Guess we all have a lot to learn and keep learning.

I looooooove bluegrass, though I don't have the roots to it you might. I'll pay closer attention to the spot with your p.o.v. in mind; I took it as camp, but can see how it might be just plain disgusting. And so we zoom down the slippery slope of political correctness...

FWIW you did get the memo that the only people left to crap on these days are white, overweight American males, right?

P.S. I love my Serotta and all of my bikes no matter where they came from.

[Tony Edwards]

I find that "Tendercrisp Bacon Cheddar Ranch" ad really really bewildering, if somewhat hypnotic. It's odd that Darius Rucker (who is a talented singer IMO, although Hootie and the Blowfish were an awful band and generated bland, soulless pablum) has fallen this far, but I imagine they paid him well.

I don't really see that this ad perpetuates any stereotype, negative or otherwise, about Southerners, but perhaps you're alluding to another one?