Burger King has launched a new ad campaign to promote their BK Kids Meal that comes with a SpongeBob SquarePants toy packed inside. The catchy commercial has some seeing red.
The King raps “I love square butts….” to the tune of the 1992 Sir Mix-A-Lot iconic hit Baby Got Back. The BK dancers work it while the King throws out some catchy lyrics including “I wanna git wit’cha, cause you’re makin’ me richer.”
The commercial is not without controversy. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood website says that SpongeBob and sexualization don’t mix. Their website went on to say:
“Nickelodeon and Burger King have partnered to produce a new, highly sexualized, ad for a Burger King SpongeBob SquarePants Kids Meal. It is harmful enough when a beloved media icon advertises junk food to children, but selling Kids Meals by associating a beloved, male character like SpongeBob with lechery shows how little either company cares about the wellbeing of the children they target.”
Others find it humorous and clever. Burger King said this particular ad is not meant for kids and is only shown during shows that target adult audiences.
Check it out below. Does it qualify as savvy advertising or an exercise in poor taste? We’ve also included an old Friends video clip where Rachel Green and Ross Geller sing the original version of the song to their baby daughter.