Burger King announced yesterday that it was revising controversial ads for its Texican Whopper in England and Spain after Mexico's ambassador spoke out against the campaign, calling it offensive. The commercials promoted the Europe-only Texican Whopper, a burger with chili con carne, jalapeños, onion, lettuce, a wheat bun, and Cajun mayonnaise. They featured an American cowboy and a pocket-sized wrestler wearing a cape that resembles the Mexican flag. Jorge Zermeno, the Mexican ambassador to Spain, called the chain's ads damaging to the country's image and its flag.
In a letter to Burger King's Spanish division, Zermeno asked that the commercials be removed from the air because they "improperly used the stereotyped image of a Mexican.” In response, the burger chain released a statement saying it was revamping its campaign: "The revised campaign will focuses solely on the Texican Whopper sandwich and will not feature any characters or the use of the Mexican flag. The revised campaign will be on air and in restaurants as soon as commercially possible.”
I don't find this commercial shocking or surprising, given Burger King's track record of eyebrow raising advertisements, from the recent Sir Mix-a-Lot spot to last year's Whopper Virgins. After watching the video below, tell me: Do you think Burger King made the right move?
Masini Gioielli
DAY Birger et Mikkelsen
DKNY
I don't find this ad controversial or shocking. I don't see what the big deal is really. Both characters are stereotyped, no one is being singled out. BK is doing the right thing by revising the ad. If a group is offended, then yes, the PC thing to do is take a second look and address the concern.
1Classic case of taking PC too far imo. I actually found the ad rather dull.
2Um, it really wasn't that bad, and as rainydaybleus pointed out, they're stereotyping both characters. I don't see what the big deal is.
3I don't get why it's offensive at all. I hate PC.
4hesus christo people are so sensitive!
5I don't thinks it was this ad that caused the controversy, but rather the print ad where the "mexican" character is actually wearing the Mexican Flag which in Mexico it is a big deal since the flag is respected greatly and no one can wear it for any reason or they will fined. So to use it in an advertisement and in a stereotypical character is a slap to the face.
6Anilem has it right; in Mexico, the image of their flag is a protected symbol.
Why don't you do a post on that Popeye's ad with the chicken lady?
7Well, the issue is that in this posted commercial the cape of the wrestler only resembles the mexican flag, but in the printed ad the wrestler appears wearing the mexican flag, and unlike in the US, in Mexico there are laws that protect the ways you can use the image of the flag.
http://www2.esmas.com/noticierostelevisa/mexico/nacional/055608/burger-k...
A similar thing happened with the absoult vodka ads in Mexico that got americans so annoyed, being that those are an actual part of history.
8http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/laplaza/2008/04/mexico-reconque.html
I am CHRIS SAURINSTEIN. I am the MEXICAN WRESTLER in the ad.
9And the big deal is?
10I actually thought this was going to be about the Sir Mix-a-Lot ad, which I thought was pretty inappropriate. All of Burger King's ads seem to be a little on the edgy side, so I can't really say I'm that surprised.
11I'm so sick of PC bullcrap I could just spit. Why isn't anyone fired up over the stereotype of the cowboy?
12Americans are way to sensitive and take things way to seriously. Lighten up!!!!
13tuscanstellina - I don't think this was an American getting upset. It was the Mexican Ambassador.
14Though the commercial wasn't controversial, the stereotypical image of Hispanic's was in bad taste. A midget mexican wrestler? I mean really. That image speaks volumes of how Burger King see an entire ethnic group. The Mexican Ambassador is right in feeling upset about that commercial. If Burger King wants to sell/promote it's products, how about an message describing the food and not theses "tasteless gimicks". And don't get me started on the Sir-Mix-Alot parady commercial. I mean Why? Why Burger King why?
15IM THE WRESTLER IN THE AD..CHRIS SAURINSTEIN..AND I LOVE THE COMMERCIAL
16I love that commercial, hey mexico get a grip.
17Can they please get rid of that Sirmix alot commercial - terrible.
18"EL CACHITO" HAS A REAL NAME. HE IS CHRIS SAURINSTEIN. CHRIS SAURINSTEIN IS FROM HOLLYWOOD CALIFORNIA. HE IS A COMEDIAN AND AN ACTOR. CLICK LINK BELOW TO WATCH CHRIS SAURINSTEIN ON YOU TUBE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzKmDlKC7P8
HE PERFORMS AT THE WORLD FAMOUS COMEDY STORE AND IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON A FULL LENGTH FEATURE FILM. HE IS AN UP AND COMING STAR AND THE REDENT BURGER KING COMMERCIAL HAS GIVEN HIM A BIG BREAK IN HIS CAREER. THE PUBLIC AND POLITICAL STIR THAT INVOLVES BURGER KING HAS PUT CHRIS SAURINSTEIN IN THE SPOTLIGHT. MANY PEOPLE WONDER IF HE IS INDEED MEXICAN AND WHAT HIS OPINION IS ON THE ISSUE. SOMEONE SHOULD INTERVIEW HIM.
19I'm Mexican American and I thought it was kinda cute, "a little spicy Mexican"...get it??(The wrestler is a little spicy Mexican, duh.) hahaha I think the Mexican Ambassador needs to lighten up.
20CHRIS SAURINSTEIN IS EL CACHITO!! DONT FORGET IT!! HE IS WORLD KNOWN AND WELL LIKED BY MANY FANS AND ALOT OF WOMEN ARE CRZY FOR THIS GUY!! HE IS AN UP AND COMING STAR!! HE RESIDES IN LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA. CHRIS SAURINSTEIN IS A NICE GUY AND WILL GLADLY GIVE YOU AN AUTOGRAPH. HE IS MOST RECOGNIZEABLE BY HIS TATOOS. THE TATOOS ARE REAL HE HAS. HERE IS A LINK OF HOW HE REALLY LOOKS OUT OF THE WRESTLER OUTFIT.
21http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uqwGAxBn-M
As a Mexican I see this as a slap in the face cuz like Anilem said the mexican flag is a big deal for us. We don't allow any figure to use it not even a famous people as fashion or etc. Those are the rules and there's no other option so we have to respect that.
22we see these commercials all the time point is U.S.A is the capital of RASCISM n they do commercials all the time to appeal to certain types of races there's always going to be stereotyping in this world just stick with it
23Well all you others that have posted you wouldn't know anything because your not Mexican so don't even comment
24it's like if I'm complaining that Americans don't have a culture I can't say anything because I'm not American so what would I know and the ad is stupid just like every advertisement out there stereotyping will always exist so stick with it bastards but i agree with my fellow patriota.
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