A story that grabbed my attention this week: GourmetMurderKitchen.
This story involves Gourmet Burger Kitchen (affectionately shortened to GBK) and their latest advertising campaign and the subsequent backlash they faced. Words aren't really going to do this justice so I'll post some examples:
I know what you are thinking, dear readers.
'Oh dear' indeed.
You will imagine the outrage, the uproar, and general middle-class fist shaking anger these adverts produced. (Which is totally justified, actually). People can take offence at pretty much anything on the Interwebz and I am normally the first one to offer a cup of tea, a pat on the knee and a reassuring 'now, now, calm down, dear, it's not as bad as all that'.
Except that, this time, it pretty much is as bad as all that.
Possibly the worst Ad campaign of 2016 and we’re only in January. https://t.co/QNGqJyG7tl
— Jonathan Richard (@JonRichard) January 18, 2016
#gourmetmurderkitchen @gbkburgers Bravo to your marketing dept on an epic fail! Take a defining chapter of our generation and ridicule!! 😕
— Jason Bromley (@Dispeller79) January 17, 2016
I'll always remember the day I boycotted Gourmet Burger Company #gourmetmurderkitchen
— Mrs P (@missy_mcsquishy) January 17, 2016
Then of course come the photoshopped images (they really made this one too easy):
@gbkburgers cheers for making it even easier to ignore your food chain. Really bad advertising.#gourmetmurderkitchen pic.twitter.com/ZX1PwYD7fl
— Luna Unicorn Sminks (@this_sminks) January 18, 2016
Following the new adverts being plastered all over the place, including on the London Underground, people took to social media to rant and rave about the 'disgraceful' ad campaign. Vegans, vegetarians and meat eaters alike appear to have found the campaign in poor taste, not least because it has been revealed in the middle of Veganuary (I had to Google it too, don't worry).
Really, GBK? Really?!
From a practical viewpoint, this campaign is even more baffling given that GBK caters for vegans and vegetarians so why they are trying to ostracize one sector of their client base I do not know.
But, as if that wasn't enough to piss off most of the Internet, then came this:
Ah, the insincere corporate apology. The Law of Holes seems apt here. Rule #1: If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. But, no. GBK really likes that shovel and damn it all to hell if they don't want to make that clear!
Not only do they not appear to understand where the offence could have possibly come from but they get all defensive about actually providing vegetarian options.
....slow clap.
Do they not realise that providing meat free options is pretty much standard in nearly all restaurants nowadays? What kind of idiot opens a restaurant and doesn't provide anything for the 4 million vegetarians currently in the UK? I mean, even Nandos has vegetarian options and they aren't being dicks about it, are they?
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| See how I avoided a cheesy pun about 'cocks' there? You. Are. Welcome. |
Seriously, GBK, I think you need to sort out your marketing department.
Speaking of...#TeamSociallyM is totally (probably) up for the challenge.
Then again, this one might have really been the final nail in the coffin for your vegetarian and vegan clients and maybe a few meat eaters too. Still, they say any publicity is good publicity, right?
Yeah, I reckon the Handmade Burger Company probably agrees with that right about now.
&&Fin.
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