Crossville Chronicle, Crossville, TN

Opinion

May 14, 2009

I SAY: Latest ad is just creepy

Am I the only one who doesn't get these Burger King ads?

The latest "I like square butts" ad is disturbing and it makes me wonder about the folks who come up with the ad campaign, and the executives at the main office who think this represents the fast food chain and thinks the creepy icon called the King represents them well.

I must state here that I do patronize Burger King. I occasionally like to drop in for a quick breakfast item and have for years, since I was in college, found their burgers tasty and compatible with the contents of my wallet.

The first ad I viewed that I found disturbing was the breakfast ad of a couple of years ago where the clip was supposed to show the King waking someone to a bright new morning with the subtle hint that a breakfast from Burger King would make the sun shine all day long.

Instead, I viewed the ad as creepy. I mean, here is this over-sized cartoon-type character with a shellacked head and stupid-looking grin, leaning down and peering into second-story bedroom window. It wouldn't have been so bad if the King didn't have that weird grin on its face and if he wasn't peering into bedroom windows.

That is against the law in most states.

Now comes the latest ad and I am convinced my assessment of the King was on target the first time. He needs help. He needs counseling. He needs to be in community corrections.

The ad is a take-off on the kids television toon, Sponge Bob Square Pants. The ad is geared toward meals for kids and I assume (I have never watched an episode of Sponge Bob) they use the toon for this end. If I were Sponge Bob, I would be offended.

The ad features teen-age girls in tight red shorts with bricks or something like that inside their shorts to resemble square pants.

The creepy King with the creepy grin is looking at these kids' butts while dancing to a takeoff on the rap-style song with the repeating line, "I like big butts and I cannot lie."

While the gals are gyrating, the singers singing, "I like square butts and I cannot lie," the King with the grin is staring at their butts and really getting into the scene. That is very disturbing.

The ad won't keep me from patronizing the local Burger King when I get a hankering for one of the burgers or for breakfast, as long as the King isn't at the drive-thru window, asking if I want to super size my order.



Text Only
Opinion
  • Gary's World: The magical Star Wars summer of '77

    A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

    May 24, 2012

  • Lion and the Lamb: When politics and religion meet

    Several wealthy contributors to the Republican presidential campaign are once again trying to figure out how they can use a video clip containing three words that the Rev. Jeremiah Wright used in a sermon on April 13, 2003. Wright, now retired, had been pastor of the 6,600-member Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago when Barack Obama was a member there.

    May 22, 2012

  • Random Thoughts: Returning vets fight fire

    Cemeteries are given special attention this week in preparation for Memorial Day next Monday. During the Civil War gracious ladies of the south laid flowers on the graves of fallen soldiers from both sides. The custom spread across the country and was called Decoration Day until the early 20th century.

    May 22, 2012

  • Tidbits: Finding more time in your day

    If we had another two hours in every day, we'd all probably still be begging for just a little bit more to get all our stuff done before that clock strikes midnight and it's game over.

    May 21, 2012

  • Stumptalk: Hooray for the innovators

    In his brilliant article in the Free Market, Daniel Sanchez says, “There will always be a one-percent. The well-being of the 99-percent depends on who makes up the 1-percent: innovative entrepreneurs or the state and its cronies. This in turn depends on the ideologies adopted by the 99-percent.” This is the way societies have always been organized and always will be.

    May 21, 2012

  • GARY'S WORLD: Graduates, create your own opportunities

    Time flies. One day you have a baby boy who is fascinated with stuffed Miss Piggy and Kermit rattles and the next day he wants to wear his cowboy boots and hat with every outfit no matter what the occasion. Before you know it, he's playing in the elementary school band, going into high school, learning how to drive, driving to school, going to prom and graduating.

    May 17, 2012

  • RANDOM THOUGHTS: Truly a January in May

    “It’s June in January” became a popular standard after Bing Crosby introduced the song in 1934. A strange thing happened last week. I call it a tale of  ‘It’s January in May.’

    May 15, 2012

  • LION AND THE LAMB: Our challenged nation

    Three major social justice issues have been a source of contention in our nation over the years, and interestingly, each of them has involved the subject of equality.

    May 15, 2012

  • WE THE PEOPLE: Repressing the ‘Grapes of Wrath’

    Sometimes a hole appears, ever so briefly, in the curtain that hides the plans of those who control our government. One such opening occurred when Alan Greenspan testified to the Federal Reserve Board on Feb. 26, 1997. During that testimony, Greenspan revealed that “worker insecurity” was (in his view) a boon to the economy, allowing productivity to increase without causing workers to demand increased earnings.

    May 15, 2012

  • TIDBITS: Never stop moving forward, grads

    This week is a week of celebration. According to my files of graduating seniors, Cumberland County will see more than 550 students earning their high school diplomas this week. Now, those youngsters will venture out into the world, armed with the knowledge and character instilled in them by their parents, brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, teachers, principals, classmates, coaches and others.

    May 14, 2012

Graduation 2012
  • graduation.jpg Graduation Salutes

    View special salutes here! Congratulations to all our 2012 graduates! To see all our graduates, check out the Friday, May 11th edition of the Crossville Chronicle!

    May 14, 2012 1 Photo

Section Teases
Seasonal Content
Readers' Choice 2012
  • readers choice badge.jpg Reader's Choice 2012 Winners

    The results are in! Here are just a few of our winners. To see the entire list, check out the Wednesday, March 28th edition of the Crossville Chronicle!

    March 28, 2012 1 Photo

Parade
AP Video
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium 50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes Raw Video: Fight Erupts in Ukrainian Parliament Texan Ranchers Remain Wary of Drought Raw Video: Soldiers Plant Flags at Arlington Police: Man Arrested in Etan Patz Disappearance NYC Protests: the Revolution Will Be Scripted Chicago U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Resigns Neighbors of Etan Patz's Suspect: It's Shocking Gulf Fishermen Reel From Seafood Troubles Stuntman Makes Skydive Without Parachute in UK Raw Video: Bride Who Faked Cancer Released
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
Hyperlocal Search
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Popular Searches
Powered by Local.com
Facebook
Weather Radar