Rainbow capitalism gone wrong? Pride month has become a pandering opportunity for corporations that they can’t seem to pass on. This year has unfortunately not been the exception. Burger King released a “Pride Whopper” ad this month that sparked a lot of controversy and the ad’s creators are now apologizing.
In Burger King Austria’s “Pride Whopper” ad the burger features two equal buns which is supposed to be a statement about equal love & equal rights. While also acting as an innuendo on Gay sex, the buns on the burgers are either both top or bottom buns.
In a recent interview Jung von Matt Donau, the agency that created the ad, apologized if anyone was offended. Adding that they believe they “messed up” by creating the ad. Although the agency’s campaign included partnerships with LGBTQ+ influencers, they recognize that they should have consulted experts on communicating with the community prior to releasing the ad.
The ad sparked a lot of discussions on social media where users were either amused, confused or offended by Burger King’s campaign. Although “Pride Whopper” “serves as an official sponsor for Vienna Pride 2022.” The campaign demonstrates how important it is for brands to be cautious when turning Pride into an opportunity to target Gay customers.