This ad series from Burger King and BBH London has sparked some interesting conversations across LinkedIn over the past day.

Having read many comments and thought pieces, my summary of the controversy is:

• Most people who share negative opinions are disappointed that the advertising of ultra-processed foods is being placed next to ‘something so sacred’ as a newborn baby.
• Most people who share positive sentiments are those who discuss the true insights that most likely led to the creative. Pregnancy is a 9-month rollercoaster of sacrifice; desiring to be good all the time and feeling guilty at any small blip. So often there’s a ‘first-meal-post-birth’ agreement. But then there’s also the logistical element. When my son was born in the early hours of the morning, the only options were fast food, so it was McDonalds for us unfortunately.
• Men seem to be more riled up than women, which is interesting given who this ad is targeting.

I find the advert to be insightfully true and relatable to the experiences I saw my wife go through, so it instantly catches the eye. But regardless of opinion, the hypocrisy I’ve seen from the fall-out has been hilarious.

The advertising industry has the power to influence society and the world; how we think, how we perceive, our biases, how we spend our money and so on.

For those who don’t like the advert (as mentioned in my first point), any advert that promotes ultra-processed foods should be met with the same anger. Or if you’re working in promoting the gambling industry be quiet.

Gambling advertising in the Premier League has tripled year on year and half of the clubs in the league have gambling sponsors on their shirts, despite having huge fan bases under the age of 18 and commitments to safer advertising.

If you’re working with brands and organisations directly or indirectly funding war and genocide, hush your gums.

If you’re working with organisations actively polluting the world physically and metaphorically, shut your mouth.

We pick and choose when we’re angry because most things we care about in life are about affinity, relatability and individual experience–so why don’t we redirect our outrage over this advert and question how the industry can do better to improve the outcomes of society, or is the money tree too appealing to care?

Want more unfiltered insights straight to your inbox? Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest trends, bold takes and tips on how to resonate with diverse audiences. Or, if you’ve got a project in mind, drop us a message—we’d love to chat!

Original Post