Burger King Ad Under Fire for 'Cultural Insensitivity'
Burger King has deleted a video depicting two diners trying to eat a Vietnamese-inspired sandwich with chopsticks after it drew fire from critics who said the ad displayed cultural insensitivity.
The video clip was posted on the New Zealand Burger King account and showed two Caucasian diners awkwardly trying to eat the new Vietnamese Sweet Chilli Tendercrisp burger with gigantic red chopsticks, according to The Washington Post.
The clip was captioned, “Take your taste buds all the way to Ho Chi Minh City.”
Burger King has apologized for the clip and removed it, according to The Washington Post. However, social media users have criticized the video for cultural insensitivity.
“We are truly sorry that the ad has appeared insensitive to our community,” said James Woodbridge, Burger King’s general manager for marketing, according to Stuff.com.
“We have removed and it certainly does not reflect our brand values around diversity and inclusion.”
One user, New Zealander Maria Mo, said in a now-viral tweet, “So this is the new Burger King ad for a “Vietnamese” burger ok coolcoolcoolcoolcool CHOPSTICKS R HILARIOUS right omg etc,” following up with the tweets, “This is how Asians eeeeeeeat” and “Orientalism is harmless funnnn”
So this is the new Burger King ad for a “Vietnamese” burger ok coolcoolcoolcoolcool CHOPSTICKS R HILARIOUS right omg etc ?????? pic.twitter.com/zVD8CN04Wc
— 마리아. Maria. (@mariahmocarey) April 4, 2019
But not everyone agreed.
Im vietnamese and im not offended. I thought it was pretty funny. Your generation needs to grow thicker skin and stop with this fake manufactured outrage.
— Andrew Ta (@AndrewTa86) April 7, 2019
Exactly couldn’t had said it better.
— Leon Scott Kennedy (@boricua434) April 8, 2019
And I’m so sick of ultra-sensitive, whiny people who look to be offended by EVERYTHING. Why can’t we instead find humor in things as a means to bridge gaps in understanding? Comedians have been doing it for years, GET OVER IT.
— Damien For President (@dpforeveryone) April 7, 2019
She also added tweets detailing how she thought Burger King‘s ad displayed not only cultural insensitivity but also racism.
She tried to draw a connection between Burger King‘s ad and the March 15 New Zealand mosque shootings.
“I’m so sick of racism. Of any kind,” she wrote.
“Of the kind that makes fun of different cultures, to the kind that shoots and murders those peacefully praying in their place of worship. Say no to every single manifestation of it. #GiveNothingToRacism.”
I’m so sick of racism. Of any kind. Of the kind that makes fun of different cultures, to the kind that shoots and murders those peacefully praying in their place of worship. Say no to every single manifestation of it. #GiveNothingToRacism.
— 마리아. Maria. (@mariahmocarey) April 7, 2019
Tech Crunch’s Asia reporter Catherine Shu also tweeted, “LOL chopsticks amirite?????? Who the hell came up with this? There are a lot of Asian people in NZ, though they probably aren’t getting their Vietnamese food from Burger King.”
LOL chopsticks amirite??????
Who the hell came up with this? There are a lot of Asian people in NZ, though they probably aren’t getting their Vietnamese food from Burger King ? https://t.co/XSGYX7IVBR
— Catherine Shu (@CatherineShu) April 5, 2019
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