Sexualizing Girls Doesn’t Sell Burgers: A TNA Success!
May 26, 2009
by The New Agenda
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Burger King Commercial
Our voices and our pocketbooks matter! This spring, The New Agenda joined the voices of parents’ groups and individual consumers by issuing an action alert and protesting Burger King’s SpongeBob-themed advertisements. In the ads, the Burger King raps “I like square butts,” while he measures the size and squareness of women’s behinds.
Now Nanette Byrnes of Business Week reports:
Chuckles and kudos aside, [Burger King] CEO John W. Chidsey now has a problem. He has missed a sharp turn in consumer spending and sentiment. While competitors like McDonald’s blanketed the market with dollar deals this spring, Burger King stuck with ads that wooed its male “superfans” — and alienated thousands of parents. And sales in April alone show the results: a 7% rise for McDonald’s as Burger King revenues remained weak in many markets after a dramatic fall in March. “That caught us a bit off guard,” admits Chisdey, 46…
Restaurant owners [franchisees], meanwhile, complain that ads create buzz — the SpongeBob spot was viewed more than 500,000 times on YouTube — but cost them business. That campaign, which featured the King measuring women’s “square butts” prompted 10,000 angry letters and, owners say, failed to result in higher sales.
CEO John Chidsey
Chidsay, however, still doesn’t get it.
“I think we’ve been doing the right things,” he argues. “I say let’s play it out.”
Oh, so you want to play it out? OK , game on. Let’s all celebrate the beginning of the summer season by taking the family to McDonald’s. And ask a friend to do the same.
Speaking out does work! Keep up the great work members….
Yeh,. time for a second round of emails, letters and calls – time for people to enter BK, ask to speak to the Manager and tell him/her no money will be spent in his/her franchise until corporate headquaters pulls the sexist commercial that degrades women
Frankly I see no reason to ever return to Burger King. Those ads were stunningly stupid. There are just so many other options. The McDonalds near my house actually acts like a community member not a corporation. And there are several small burger joints that are responsive to all in the community.
So Chidsay thinks that 500,000 hits on YouTube means that all those viewers *liked* the ad, but I am sure many of the viewers disliked it (as their sales drop shows).
He’s an idiot. Okay, a sexist idiot.
I’d be happy to go to McD’s as long as I don’t have to eat the food.
They have salads, right?
The one positive thing I always heard about McD’s was that they really do promote from the inside. The counter work sucks rocks, but if you stick with it and are good at organizing and leading, you WILL be a manager. They really do promote from the inside. Even if I dislike their food, I respect that.
Great to hear that Burger King’s sales are down. Continue to BOYCOTT BURGER KING–forever!
I agree with Janis’s hesitation about McDonald’s food. Most fast food is unhealthy. Educating ourselves and our children is key. For more information:
http://pediatrics.aappublicati...../113/1/132
http://www.keepkidshealthy.com....._food.html
Lest I digress, see the next post.
Bravo! Our advocacy and boycotting is working, though Chidsey remains clueless. We need to keep the pressure on. Here’s a continuing Action Plan:
ACTION PLAN:
1. Continue to Boycott Burger King. Talk with friends and family and ask them to Boycott Burger King also.
2. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood has a letter writing campaign. Click here for a quick letter you can send online: http://salsa.democracyinaction....._KEY=27008
This is a great organization. You can learn more about them here: http://www.commercialexploitation.org/ TNA and CCFC are on the same page in many areas.
3. Email, fax and call Burger King corporate headquarters. Tell them that their sexually suggestive advertising is inappropriate for children, morally and ethically irresponsible, degrading of women, and violates their Corporate Social Responsibility Mission Statement: Fundamental respect for all people, and our planet, guides our corporate conscience. Tell them you will not visit their restaurants until they withdraw the ad and change their advertisements.
a) Call Burger King Corporation Consumer Relations (305) 378-3535 Staffed M-F, 9am–5pm EST?
b) Email / fax / write to:
John W. Chidsey
Chief Executive Officer, Burger King Corporation
5505 Blue Lagoon Drive
Miami, FL 33126
Phone: 305-378-3000
Fax: 305-378-7262
His email: jchidsey@whopper.com
Russ Klein,
President of Global Marketing Strategy and Innovation
5505 Blue Lagoon Drive
Miami, FL 33126
Phone: 305-378-3000
Fax: 305-378-7262
(Can anyone find his email on LInkedIn or elsewhere? Possible email: rklein@whopper.com)
Email Amy Wagner,
Burger King Investor Relations
Phone: 305-378-7696
investor@whopper.com
Susan Robison,
Burger King Corporation Media Relations
Phone: 305-378-7277
mediainquiries@whopper.com
4. For those who are on Facebook, and apparently for those who aren’t, there is an open group regarding this issue. Quoted on another site: “Please join and invite your friends. Once we’re at 10,000, we can start calling in mass corporate and our local franchises.”
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=92228140218
5. Forward this action alert to your friends and colleagues.
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Community Room
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The New Agenda is a 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls by bringing about systemic change in the media, at the workplace, at school and at home. More...