Burger King Austria is currently facing a significant PR crisis due to a controversial advertising campaign. The fast-food chain’s advertising agency issued an apology on Sunday for the insensitive marketing strategy featuring the “Pride Whopper.” They advertised this burger as “two matching buns,” leading to widespread ridicule and criticism.

Burger King Pride Whopper Controversy 

The ad, posted on Burger King Austria’s Instagram page, featured a burger with two tops and another with two bottoms. Many interpreted as a misguided reference to sex within the LGBTQ+ community. The company has since expressed regret for any offense caused.

Jung von Matt Donau is a German agency that collaborated on the campaign for Burger King Austria. They recently admitted in a LinkedIn post that they did not adequately consult with members of the LGBTQ community. That seems necessary to understand the various ways in which people may interpret the Burger King pride whopper.

The campaign aimed to promote equal love and equal rights. But the agency expressed concern that it may have inadvertently offended members of the LGBTQ community. As such, they offered a sincere apology if this was indeed the case.

Burger King Issued an Apology 

After the backlash, the company issued a statement acknowledging their mistake. They also promished to include experts on communicating with the LGBTQ community for future projects. The company stated that promoting equal love and equal rights would remain a priority for them.

However, the ad’s release sparked criticism worldwide. Many social media users pointed out the company’s apparent lack of understanding of “how gay sex works.” They also accused them of engaging in corporate “rainbow-washing” during Pride Month.

Last week, Postmates faced criticism for its “Bottom-Friendly Menu,” which suggested menu items for individuals who take the bottom position during gay sex. This came in the wake of Burger King’s controversial Pride Month marketing.

Similarly, in 2019, Marks & Spencer received backlash for its “LGBT Sandwich” – a lettuce, guacamole, bacon, and tomato sandwich in rainbow packaging launched during Pride Month to raise funds for charity in the UK.

Final Words: Burger King Pride Whopper

Burger King recently introduced a new burger with a “little twist” that the company claims is intended to bring joy and encourage people to treat each other with respect and peace. While some individuals on social media found the new burger amusing, others criticized the fast-food chain, stating that the joke was offensive and represented an instance of “rainbow washing.”

This term refers to the practice of companies showing superficial support for LGBTQ+ individuals without taking any meaningful steps to improve their lives. There is ambiguity surrounding Burger King’s intention to contribute any profits generated from the sale of its Pride Whopper to organizations supporting the LGBTQ+ community.

Burger King had previously highlighted its competitor Chick-fil-A’s history of strained relations with the LGBTQ+ community. Last year, it pledged to donate 40 cents for every Ch’King chicken sandwich sold during Pride Month to the Human Rights Campaign, which is the largest civil rights organization in the United States supporting the LGBTQ+ community.