Less than a week after reports surfaced indicating its burgers were tainted in a horsemeat scandal, Burger King has tried to capitalize on the media attention by unveiling a controversial new Clydesdale commercial for Super Bowl 47. In the 60-second spot, the fast food chain’s mascot, the King, befriends a horse by saving it from the glue factory, only to trick it into visiting the burger factory.
“We’re actually glad about the scandal,” said a spokesperson. “We usually have no idea what’s in our meat. I assumed it was squirrel or possum or something. But now that we know it’s horse, well, that opens up a bunch of creative avenues we never would’ve explored.”
Not everyone is thrilled with the commercial, however. Animal rights activists are upset, food experts say a more thorough investigation is needed, and Budweiser, a brand long-associated with Clydesdales, feels ripped off.
“Here we are making majestic TV commercials about hard-working horses being forced to trot on pavement while dragging an old-timey carriage full of beer, and Burger King does something like this?” said an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson. “It’s tasteless … much like their burgers. Maybe we’ll do a spot about that!”
