It’s not well known at Maple Street, but a few years back I used to work in a restaurant that specialised in cat meat. Abyssinian Rib Eye, Calico Sirloin, Feline Mignon…that sort of thing. So long as there was a demand and we could make good money we kept it going. Eventually people kicked up a stink, but quite rightly we pointed the finger at those who were prepared to pay us. Sound like a just argument to you? Try telling that to the world of advertising then. Straight off the back of Clear Channel distancing themselves from their appalling judgement in the Stop Stella campaign, Burger King have now copped it for their ‘irresponsible’ social media activity.
Photograph: Burger King ‘Milkshake’ Tweet
You may recall during the European Elections that a number of prominent figures had food and drink thrown at them, most notably Nigel Farage, with a milkshake, in the Scottish capital. (Hasbro, if you’re reading this, I’m copyrighting that Cluedo spin-off.) Well, a day after the police had apparently asked McDonald’s to stop selling milkshakes, Burger King posted on Twitter that they’d still be providing the good people of Edinburgh with the thick and sticky commodity, convenient for throwing at English visitors. I think where Burger King went wrong here was with the wording ‘Have fun’ which is probably how the ASA came to deem the post encouraging anti-social behaviour. Personally, I’m largely ambivalent to the Brexit Party Leader being covered in viscous liquid. Well, on social media I am anyway.
Photograph: Nigel Farage
