Questions? Comments? Interested in contributing content? Please contact Vi Paynich, Editor-in-Chief, at vpaynich@retailing.org or 909-606-3406.
The following are a few highlights from ERA’s 2009 Government Affairs Fly-In.
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MEXICO CITY—Mexico is protesting what it says is a whopper of an insult, according to the Associated Press. An advertisement for Burger King’s Texican Whopper burger that has run in Europe shows a small wrestler dressed in a cape resembling a Mexican flag. The wrestler teams up with a lanky American cowboy almost twice his height to illustrate the cross-border blend of flavors. “The taste of Texas with a little spicy Mexican,†a narrator’s voice says. The taller cowboy boosts the wrestler up to reach high shelves and helps clean tall windows, while the Mexican helps the cowboy open a jar. Mexico’s ambassador to Spain said Monday he has written a letter to Burger King’s offices in that nation, objecting to the ad and asking that it be removed. Jorge Zermeno told Radio Formula that the ads “improperly use the stereotyped image of a Mexican.â€
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 Home furnishings giant IKEA clearly has a grip on its segment of retail. IKEA, originating in Sweden, has grown into an international fixture over the years. However, cultures around the world are very different, and therefore, the marketing and advertising that makes sense to consumers in different countries can vary greatly. Knowing that most Europeans are typically harder to offend than most Americans when it comes to sexuality, would this kind of advertising work in United States? Would this be harmful to the IKEA brand? Electronic Retailer reached out to Dan Akalou, IKEA’s general manager, to get his input on this thought-provoking issue.
“This commercial, which aired in Scandinavia, reflects both the impact of divorce on home life (the tag-line reads ‘A better divorce for everyone’), as well as the versatility of the IKEA range of home furnishings solutions. It’s unlikely that we would run advertising like this in the United States. That said, the sentiment of versatile products that allow adults to have an adult home even when they are parents, is consistent across national borders. IKEA is known for doing edgy commercials in many of its markets. Breakthrough communication creates awareness quicker and at a lower cost than the usual informative approach to advertising.” —Dan Akalou, IKEA general manager.
Do you think this ad would work in the U.S.?
