A breach of trust

By: American Decency Staff

Occasionally we hear from supporters who appreciate our alerting them to corporations that undermine their family’s values, but are also looking for a list of companies that they can support. While we have lifted up praise-worthy companies from time to time, we find it difficult to produce such a list. While there are a few exceptions, it often seems that about the time we think a certain corporation is committed to avoiding immorality in their advertising and practices, we find that they are engaging in sponsoring indecency on television or are involved in something else that is concerning. Case in point: Burger King. In the fall of 2004 when Burger King ads appeared on “Desperate Housewives” and we informed you our supporters, Burger King immediately withdrew their ad and wrote a commendable letter, stating in part: “We do, however, continue to monitor the placement of our advertising and maintain the standards to which we have committed ourselves. We apologize if we have in any way offended anyone. Certainly, this was not our intention.” At the time we praised Burger King and urged you to write of your appreciation. Now, however, Burger King seems to have no qualms about offending the moral sensibilities of many of its customers. In the past year and a half, Burger King has returned to sponsoring some of the trashiest shows on television, including “Desperate Housewives”, “Family Guy”, “The War at Home”, and “Grey’s Anatomy”. In addition, Burger King has pushed the limits with its actual advertisements. In the past two years Burger King has made it a practice of using sexual imagery and crudity in their attempts to sell burgers. In 2005 they ran a ‘sexed-up’ version of ‘Hee-Haw’ ad, as well as their “Coq Roq” ad featuring disturbing erotic imagery as well as twisting our nation’s motto “In God We Trust” in a mocking way. In 2006 they ran their “Full of Sit” ad using a play on profanity throughout the ad. And this winter we received this report of a troubling Burger King ad: ******** “Our family was watching TV Sunday evening and noticed a particularly disturbing Burger King ad. In the ad, the ‘daddy’, a Whopper burger, was talking to the ‘son’ a Whopper Jr. burger. ‘Dad’ told ‘son’ that now that he, the son, was on the $1.00 menu, he’d be meeting a lot of girls and dad gave him an extra napkin and told the ‘son’ to “keep it in his wallet”. Well, my son-in-law and daughter just looked at each other. The meaning was clear and it wasn’t to sell burgers! My three granddaughters and grandson were watching with us and, fortunately because they are 10 & under in age, they didn’t know what was being implied by the ad. But, we adults did. This same ad was on later in the day, too. And they have a couple of other ads that are similar in message, all to promote the Whopper Junior. I’m not sure what message they are trying to get across. But I didn’t realize that burgers were connected with sex or that eating a burger made one sexy. Since we were watching various channels, I can’t give you a specific channel or time on which this aired. But, I did want to let you know of it and go on record that we are appalled at Burger King for this tasteless ad! I love Whopper Jr. burgers, and am now rethinking my choice! Thank you for providing a venue for us to voice our approval or disapproval of much that is being offered to the public over the air waves. Please keep up the good work.” A.P. Pleasant Hill, Iowa *********** And now this spring Burger King is airing an ad in which a female dancer stands behind a man at a vending machine and reaching in front of him, sensuously slips her hands in his front pants pockets. Another current ad that encourages parents to take their kids to Burger King for their Sponge Bob promotional shows a father standing up in the bathtub wearing only bubbles and a sponge on his head, saying he is sponge Bob with no pants. While he is shown nude only from the waist up – is this appropriate in a commercial promoting kids meals? Please let Burger King know that you do not appreciate their crude ads or their sponsorship of immorality on television. Join me in telling Burger King that sex will not sell burgers to you or your family and as long as this type of advertising continues Burger King will be off your family’s menu. Contact Burger King: Burger King Holdings, Inc. John W. Chidsey – CEO 5505 Blue Lagoon Drive Miami FL 33126 Phone: 305-378-3000 Fax: 305-378-7262 Email: jchidsey@whopper.com ========================================================== Let’s encourage one another and strengthen one another to be more like our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. American Decency Association Bill Johnson, President P.O. Box 202 Fremont, MI 49412 PH: 231-924-4050 www.americandecency.org

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