Burger chain Jack in the Box has a new TV commercial out and it’s getting lots of attention for it’s not-so-subtle references to male genitalia. The ad is for the company’s new Teriyaki Bowls and the criticism comes from jokes about how similar “bowls” sounds to a slang term for testicles.
The star of the commercial, a cartoon-headed mascot named Jack, says, “While other burger places serve the same old stuff, I’m the only one with the bowls to serve something different.” And the ad is full of lots more “bowls” humor, more than a dozen “bowl-themed” metaphors in all.
Adweek, a publication that covers the advertising industry, calls this “one of the most tone-deaf ads of the #MeToo era." But Jack in the Box doesn’t seem to get what all the controversy is about. In a joint statement, Jack in the Box and the ad agency behind the "bowls" campaign, David & Goliath, deny that the commercial makes light of sexual harassment. They claim, “This ad is not diminishing any movement.”
On social media, reactions to the ad are mixed. Some think it’s funny and not at all offensive, others find it inappropriate. Only time will tell if it helps Jack in the box sell more bowls.
Source: USA Today