Burger King pulls ad poking fun at community colleges

Associated Press, Posted September 20 2002, 7:44 AM EDT

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COEUR d'ALENE, Idaho -- Community colleges had it their way.

Burger King Corp. will pull a television commercial after complaints from numerous junior and community college officials said the ad mocked students attending two-year schools, a spokeswoman for the Miami-based fast food company confirmed Thursday.

The commercial features two students chatting with a talking menu. During the conversation, the menu joked with the students, telling them that as a junior college students, they probably didn't have a lot of money.

Michael Burke, president of North Idaho College, said he didn't think the talking menu's jokes were funny.

``It implies that community college students don't receive a quality education,'' he said. ``Those who leave our professional-technical program enter the work force making an excellent salary. It certainly doesn't reflect reality.''

Norma Kent, vice president of communications for the American Association of Community Colleges, said she registered the complaint from Burke and other community college officials with Burger King.

``It will take a couple days to get it out of the pipeline, and then it goes into the trash heap of ad history where it belongs,'' Kent said.

Burger King spokeswoman Michelle Miguelez said the students didn't know they were being filmed, then were asked if they'd be willing to be in an ad and were shown the film.

``They found the ad to be funny,'' Miguelez said. ``They were not offended in the least.''

The ad was also tested in focus groups, she said. Nonetheless, ``we understand some people are offended,'' Miguelez said. From now on, the talking menu will choose its words more carefully, she said.

Burger King is the world's second-largest fast-food chain.

Copyright © 2002, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

[I wonder if they would consider talking to a postal worker...?] LOL

-- Anonymous, September 20, 2002