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Sponge Bob Square Butt Burger King Commercial

I'm with Don on this. It's not appropriate to mix a mature message with a kid's show. If those girls didn't have the box in their outfits, it would be obvious they were dressed to be sexually appealing, the original nature of the song aside.

The problem isn't that sexual content is on TV (this is nothing new), the problem is that it's purposefully being mingled with an icon for childrens' television.
 
JLatte said:
Personally, I don't even think the sexuality thing is an issue of whether or not kids should be viewing this. I think it's silly, there's more than enough violence, sexuality on TV that one commercial doesn't matter. I just think the stupid thing is that since the target audience is 7-11 year old children, having a song that most of these kids wouldn't even know, with the square pants reference that none of the kids would know just seems like bad marketing.

And you're right, American commercials (and television) are far too suppressed and everyone gets up in arms over non issues. All sexuality aside, I just think the marketing is poor. Might make for a humorous Carls Jr commercial, or an older audience, not a sponge bob squarepants happy meal.
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I dont think the song choice is bad at all, if you listen the lyrics it works great, you wouldnt have to know the song at all. Baby got back was before my time as well (im 17 so I was really young) but its pretty iconic.

chrmjenkins said:
I'm with Don on this. It's not appropriate to mix a mature message with a kid's show. If those girls didn't have the box in their outfits, it would be obvious they were dressed to be sexually appealing, the original nature of the song aside.
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So in other words, if this ad had different content it would be sexual.

Damn better take hannah montana off the air, after all, without those clothes on itd be obvious shes naked underneath :rolleyes:
 
Actually, not to go off topic but speaking of Hannah Montana and kids shows in general:

I was at my little nephew's house the other day and was watching cartoons or nickelodean or whichever he had on with him. I must say, the kids shows with live people were all much more ... grown up and mature acting and looking. Even the cartoons were very sexually defined, particularly the females. I mean when I watched cartoons as a child it was like 90% animals, tom & jerry, all the old disney films, mickey mouse, donald duck.

I don't think there's anything wrong, I just never realized everything has advanced so much maturity wise vs when I was a child.

***
lol, the BK commercial just played while I was typing this. It's actually kind of funny if you're not looking at it from a child's perspective. Even as a child they might laugh at the sponge bob and the creepy king dancing, but I doubt they'd get it as much.

Anyywayyysss... back on topic!
 
This commercial is disturbing in so many ways, especially with an mono-expression giant king head prancing around to a rap song.

The sex element is poor taste, but I find it much more objectionable when war themed video games and other violence-based products are aired.

Never seen nor do I intend to expose my children to Hannah Montana.
 
NT1440 said:
I have no problem with it, because I live in reality, where that has been going on for damn near 40 years (at least) now.

I understand that it is obviously sexual to us as teens and above, but how in the hell is that sexual to a 7 or 9 year old? And what exactly is wrong with sexuality in the first place? I dont buy into this immorality garbage (might be because religion has no sway on me).
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So you admit that it may be sexual to you and those older but then you say it's not sexual to 7 to 9 year olds. How is their experience watching the commercial any different? They may not understand sex the way you do but do you think they are not being affected in some sense? It's not about immorality as if I'm being too much of a prude and I'm offended. I have no religious affiliation so that has no merit with me...it's clearly not OK in my opinion to market your product to young children using sex as blatant as this.

Another thought is that this song was released way before any of the target market was even born, and perhaps you. Carl's Jr. also runs sexually suggestive ads in which hot women eat a cheeseburger with suggestive tones but they specifically target the 18-35 male market. Not that it is "OK" either but I don't mind it as much as having a cartoon combined with objectifying women like this ad does.
 
If anything, I think the Viagra commercials that air throughout the day are more inappropriate than the BK commercial.
 
yojitani said:
This commercial is disturbing in so many ways, especially with an mono-expression giant king head prancing around to a rap song.

The sex element is poor taste, but I find it much more objectionable when war themed video games and other violence-based products are aired.

Never seen nor do I intend to expose my children to Hannah Montana.
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Well at least we agree on one thing, the king is creepy as hell. The first time I saw the commercial where the tree falls and hes right behind it i jumped.:p

jecapaga said:
So you admit that it may be sexual to you and those older but then you say it's not sexual to 7 to 9 year olds. How is their experience watching the commercial any different? They may not understand sex the way you do but do you think they are not being affected in some sense? It's not about immorality as if I'm being too much of a prude and be offended. I have no religious affiliation so that has no merit with me...it's clearly not OK in my opinion to market your product to young children using a sex as blatant as this.

Another thought is that this song was released way before any of the target market was even born, and perhaps you. Carl's Jr. also runs sexually suggestive ads in which hot women eat a cheeseburger with suggestive tones but they specifically target the 18-35 male market. Not that it is "OK" either but I don't mind it as much as having a cartoon combined with objectifying women like this ad does.
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So you have a complete problem with sexuality. (the underlined).

I have no problem at all with this commercial. Do you really think its the sex appeal that brings the kids in?

Also what affect is this having on a kid that simply walking down the street being the perfect height to stare at an ass inadvertantly doesnt do?

Again, why is this country so sexually repressed?
 
This thread is so hilarious! Oh noes, square butts, hide the kids! :eek:

Why are you assuming that this is targeted for 7-10 year olds? I've seen the commercial many times (BTW, never seen that 2+ minute long one, the actual commercial is this one) and I think it does what it is meant to do; like NT1440 said earlier, it targets the kids and parents. Like the commercial says, "buy an adult value meal and get a kids meal for 99¢." I don't watch kids shows so I can't say I've seen this commercial on the Disney Channel/Nick, only on networks like FOX/ABC, etc.

Anyways, I hardly view this commercial as being scandalous. The girls shaking it are hardly wearing anything that could be considered "naughty" and they are wearing squares on their a$$es. It's supposed to be funny, just like the song is supposed to be funny. A lot of kids know that song (I knew it when I was young) because it's a funny song. The commercial is supposed to be funny. That is all.
 
NT1440 said:
So in other words, if this ad had different content it would be sexual.

Damn better take hannah montana off the air, after all, without those clothes on itd be obvious shes naked underneath :rolleyes:
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No, I said it would be obvious, not existent as opposed to not being existent before. The sexuality is supposed to be obscured by the humor, but that doesn't remove it.

yojitani said:
This commercial is disturbing in so many ways, especially with an mono-expression giant king head prancing around to a rap song.

The sex element is poor taste, but I find it much more objectionable when war themed video games and other violence-based products are aired.

Never seen nor do I intend to expose my children to Hannah Montana.
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With those, you have ratings for the game/program. And they usually don't mix them with images and characters that are supposed to be ok/safe for children.
 
chrmjenkins said:
No, I said it would be obvious, not existent as opposed to not being existent before. The sexuality is supposed to be obscured by the humor, but that doesn't remove it.
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The boxes sure do a great job of removing it. Whats so sexual about a giggling box? Is it that there is a butt hidden from view under it? If so, go back to my hannah montana statement.

Will someone please tell me why this country has such a problem with sexuality?

In most other countries people think nothing of the human form, there are topless orange juice commercials for gods sake, we cant even have moving boxes?!
 
Dmac77 said:
I saw this a few hours ago, and I'm going to agree with the OP on this. I don't think that this is appropriate. Seriously this add is targeted to 7-11 year olds, there is no reason for women to be shaking their @sses at the screen.

Don
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Advertisements are designed to the taste of the targeted group, it's not the other way. Just forcing the kids to watch dancing and laughing vegetables all day long isn't going to make them eat their veggies. Furthermore, all they did was just prancing around shaking their asses, visually they did nothing to imply anything, no touching, no poking. It's just that we associated mentally that girls with big asses and boobies are related sex and immorality.
 
angelneo said:
Advertisements are designed to the taste of the targeted group, it's not the other way. Just forcing the kids to watch dancing and laughing vegetables all day long isn't going to make them eat their veggies. Furthermore, all they did was just prancing around shaking their asses, visually they did nothing to imply anything, no touching, no poking. It's just that we associated mentally that girls with big asses and boobies are related sex and immorality.
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They didn't imply anything? The entire video is sexually based.
 
jecapaga said:
They didn't imply anything? The entire video is sexually based.
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If thats the way you want to look at it ok. To anyone who watches a commercial without critically thinking, as your supposed to, its simply a play on a popular song and character.

What exactly is the sexual part? is it the boxes? the starfish? maybe the kids meal?
 
NT1440 said:
The boxes sure do a great job of removing it. Whats so sexual about a giggling box? Is it that there is a butt hidden from view under it? If so, go back to my hannah montana statement.

Will someone please tell me why this country has such a problem with sexuality?

In most other countries people think nothing of the human form, there are topless orange juice commercials for gods sake, we cant even have moving boxes?!
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The dance and the rest of their outfits are sexual in nature, it's not just what the boxes cover.

This country's problem with sexuality doesn't have to do with kids being exposed to it. Exposing kids to this kind of content too early can be damaging, that's the issue.
 
chrmjenkins said:
The dance and the rest of their outfits are sexual in nature, it's not just what the boxes cover.

This country's problem with sexuality doesn't have to do with kids being exposed to it. Exposing kids to this kind of content too early can be damaging, that's the issue.
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Damaging in what way? I take it the rest of the world is damaged then?

The dance shows off the box, nothing more. What is sexual about spongebobs outfit!?
 
NT1440 said:
If thats the way you want to look at it ok. To anyone who watches a commercial without critically thinking, as your supposed to, its simply a play on a popular song and character.

What exactly is the sexual part? is it the boxes? the starfish? maybe the kids meal?
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It's not about how I look at it. I work in advertising so this is a very easy discussion for me about how it's supposed to effect people. This ad is straight up questionable.
 
jecapaga said:
It's not about how I look at it. I work in advertising so this is a very easy discussion for me about how it's supposed to effect people. This ad is straight up questionable.
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Elaborate.

Do the chips ahoy commercials outrage you as much? After all, kids love cookies, and that cookie and the blonde were DEFFINATLY about to get it on.
 
NT1440 said:
Damaging in what way? I take it the rest of the world is damaged then?

The dance shows off the box, nothing more. What is sexual about spongebobs outfit!?
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Countless psychologists would testify to the damaging effects of exposing children to sexual content too early. If you like, I can link some articles.

Everything about spongebob's outfit on a grown woman is sexual. Women dressed as school girls or to appear adolescent and "innocent" in some way is one of the biggest images that is marketed to men.
 
chrmjenkins said:
Countless psychologists would testify to the damaging effects of exposing children to sexual content too early. If you like, I can link some articles.
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So then the rest of the world is crazy messed up then isnt it?:rolleyes:
 
NT1440 said:
Elaborate.

Do the chips ahoy commercials outrage you as much? After all, kids love cookies, and that cookie and the blonde were DEFFINATLY about to get it on.
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No I haven't seen the chips ahoy campaign. But it obviously affected you if you need to comment about it and compare. One does not make another right.
 
jecapaga said:
No I haven't seen the chips ahoy campaign. But it obviously affected you if you need to comment about it and compare. One does not make another right.
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Affected me? I can remember an ad. Is that a bad thing?
 
NT1440 said:
Would you consider this ad tame by the standards as your country? (i dont know what airs there)
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Yes I do.

And for all of you who think the ad is too sexual: do you know what's Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro? It's basically a huge parade and all the girls dance Samba not wearing much more than a thong and feathers. Are all the brazilian kids messed up because of that?
 
 
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