Fast food chain Jack in the Box under fire for ad encouraging people to 'check out my bowls'
Who knew that a teriyaki bowl could cause such controversy?
Jack in the Box, a burger chain that seems to appeal to a certain “high”-quality customer by selling late night fair dubbed “munchie meals” and early morning “wakey bakey meals,” is under fire for their latest ad campaign promoting teriyaki bowls.
Some people are offended by the sexual innuendos that are laced throughout the chain’s latest commercial.
Perhaps, in a different time, the commercial wouldn’t raise eyebrows. However, as AdWeek’s David Griner points out, the ad “celebrates sexual innuendo in the workplace.” He goes on to say it is “one of the most tone-deaf ads of the #MeToo era.”
The commercial begins with the chain’s mascot, Jack, with his cold, distant stare and chilling smile saying, “While other burger places serve the same old stuff, I’m the one with the bowls to serve something different.”
The staff in the office environment around him compliments his bowls; Jack even says his co-worker Dan has “some pretty nice bowls.” One female worker says, “Those are some nice bowls,” while another gleefully exclaims, “Everyone’s going to want to get their hands on Jack’s bowls!”
The joke, of course, is that “bowls” sounds like “balls.”
Many on social media were not amused by the commercial.
why was i forced to listen to a jack in the box commercial where he talks about his meaty and sweet “bowls” i hate
— kim🍬 (@peachykimm) August 7, 2018
There are viral campaigns. This one’s bacterial. Jack in the Box Just Launched One of the Most Tone-Deaf Ads of the #MeToo Era https://t.co/BqyeIVs7nu
— Lauri (@LauriABingham) August 8, 2018
However, others defended the commercial:
Far more sexual innuendos in disney cartoons than a commercial talking about "bowls". I see nothing wrong with the Jack in the Box ad. People need to stop making issues out of non-issues, and work on themselves. #IfYouHaveAnIssueGrabATissue
— Ewan Whadarmy (@EwanWhadarmy) August 8, 2018
Jack in the Box and the agency that created the ad, David & Goliath, told AdWeek in a joint statement, “This ad is not diminishing any movement, and we stand firmly against any form of harassment and value those who have the guts to combat it.”
Personally, I’m offended that they basically ripped off the iconic 1998 “Schweddy Balls” sketch from SNL.
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