Are BK Burger Shots Inappropriately Named?

by Eick · February 18th, 2009 · 26 Comments

One of Burger King’s newest creations, BK Burger Shots, are being heavily advertised recently.

bk-burger-shots

So? Who cares right? Well interesting discovery: according to Urban Dictionary, the term “Burger Shot” has two meanings:

burger-shot

You’re probably thinking to yourself “c’mon, no way that Burger King would knowingly name their product after a slang term like that!” and you’re probably right. In fact, I’d bet my salary this year that you are right. There are lots of everyday terms that have entirely different, and inappropriate, meanings when used as slang. Surely Burger King doesn’t want people to think of a photo of a vagina when ordering a food item nor do they want people to associate their food with someone getting punched in the vagina. However, Grub Street, while not suggesting that Burger King was aware of this, thinks Crispin, Porter + Bogusky, Burger King’s ad firm, is:

Apparently the dudes at Crispin Porter + Bogusky know exactly what’s up, because they’ve unleashed an ad that’s even pervier than the Herbal Essences “totally organic experience” campaign.

You’ve probably all seen the ad by now. A guy opens a pack of Burger Shots and suddenly women are flocking over to him, cooing and cawing about how cute the burgers are. I’d link to the ad, but it seems to have vanished from YouTube as of yesterday afternoon or this morning.

So do the folks at Crispin, Porter + Bogusky know “what’s up” with the term burger shot? Is that why they made the type of ad that they did? Again, I’m gonna say probably not. I mean, they may very well be familiar with the term, but CPB always has edgy ads, and I think it’s unlikely their (supposed) knowledge of this term may have affected what type of ad they created. Still, it’s amusing that Grub Street is suggesting this, and it IS pretty hilarious that Burger King named their product “Burger Shots” without being aware of the slang use of the term (note to product developers – always check Urban Dictionary before you name a new product).

Perhaps even more interesting is the fact that this is NOT a new product development for Burger King. They released the same thing in 1987 under the name “Burger Bundles.” See the ad below for proof:

Interesting.

You can read a review of the BK Burger Shots at The Impulsive Buy or A Hamburger Today. Also, Cats and Beer has an interview with the guy from the ad.

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Tags: Bizarre · Burgers · Fast Food

26 responses so far ↓

1 Cary // Feb 18, 2009 at 2:37 pm

So, Burgershots are essentially the burger equivalent of Axe Body Spray? I’m sick of these “woman-attracting” products.

Tomorrow, I will spray myself with the essence of burger meat. I’m sure the ladies will be all over me. And by “ladies” I mean dogs and bears, and by “all over me” I mean they will be rending flesh from my bones.
2 DCBlogs // Feb 18, 2009 at 3:19 pm

[...] Are BK Burger Shots Inappropriately Named? [...]
3 Mary // Feb 18, 2009 at 7:53 pm

How can be it a shot if it doesn’t come in a glass the size of a votive candle? Dessert shots yes, burger shots no.
4 Vicky // Feb 18, 2009 at 9:15 pm

Thanks, I will now enjoy these commercials if not merely for the fact that I’ll thinking about the urban definition. Funny and wrong, to associate food with that kind of imagery.
5 Obama Foodorama: The Very Busy Secretary Vilsack: Spanked By Meat Industry Lobbyists, or By The White House? // Feb 19, 2009 at 5:24 am

[...] Good Are BK Burger Shots Inappropriately Named? 14 hours [...]
6 Hillary // Feb 19, 2009 at 4:41 pm

I’m so naive that when I first read the title of your post insinuating an inappropriate name, I thought it might have been because of the slight alcohol reference with “shot”. Oh my…
7 Steve // Feb 19, 2009 at 7:20 pm

I’m thinkin’ Arby’s, which also has it’s own urban definition.
8 Of Angry Whoppers and Burger Shots | Fayettevittles // Feb 20, 2009 at 1:48 am

[...] apparently alludes to something wildly inappropriate I wasn’t even aware of until I read this blog entry. It seems I can still learn classic dirty slang at age [...]
9 Joanne // Feb 20, 2009 at 3:16 pm

I thought I had heard just about everything. Apparently not. Interesting.
10 Hungry Man // Feb 20, 2009 at 5:24 pm

BK’s new slogan:

Our Burger Shots will make you want to shoot your lunch gun.
11 Ryan // Feb 20, 2009 at 10:19 pm

Hilarious.
12 Pickle Freak: Fried Pickles 101 // Feb 20, 2009 at 10:41 pm

[...] Good Are BK Burger Shots Inappropriately Named? 2 days [...]
13 Cohorts // Feb 21, 2009 at 3:59 am

[...] Mood: thirsty Awesome: Are BK Burger Shots Inappropriately Named?I Will No Longer Eat Kelloggs CerealOh yeh?:She is pretty freaky looking:She’s obviously not that [...]
14 Brian // Mar 2, 2009 at 7:23 pm

Hey guys, in addition to the exclusive interview with Mr. Burger Shot himself, we just added the notorious (and boobtastic) video as well – enjoy!

http://www.catsandbeer.com/television/the-catsandbeercom-interview-the-bk-burger-shots-guy
15 the "plain truth" about burger king's new "Burger Shots"? - Debate Both Sides // Mar 15, 2009 at 3:36 pm

[...] burger king’s new "Burger Shots"? if this is true, it’s pretty hilarious, actually http://www.sogoodblog.com/2009/02/18…riately-named/ __________________ "anti war democrats" dig in for Afghanistan Winter Offensive, AKA [...]
16 Maybe I Used Too Many Monkeys » Burger King Takes Food Porn a Little Too Literally // Mar 16, 2009 at 12:24 am

[...] So Good asks the burning question: Are BK Burger Shots inappropriately named? [...]
17 Bob // Mar 16, 2009 at 5:22 pm

Every combination of words you can think of is in urban dictionary with some kind of disgusting definition. Including the names of other fast food products.
18 Dopefish Lives: Burger King's New Menu Item // Mar 17, 2009 at 11:59 am

[...] Hit It” ad campaign.Surprisingly not too many people have caught onto this, from what I can tell. This guy gets it though and was more thorough than I could ever bother to be. Posted by Dopefish at [...]
19 zackery // Mar 19, 2009 at 3:01 am

http://www.thisisawebsite.info/?p=187

thats how i feel about these nasty things
20 Jack in the Box debuts mini-sirloin burgers - Fast Food Maven - OCRegister.com // Mar 30, 2009 at 4:01 pm

[...] Are Burger King’s burger shots inappropriately named? (So Good blog) [...]
21 Why use Urban Dictionary, aka that one fucking website where a bunch of kids make everything something sexual // Apr 7, 2009 at 5:29 am

I was thinking of GTA whenever the name Burger Shot is mentioned. And if you think that a certain set of words has to mean something sexual, then you’re a sick fuck.
22 Cary // Apr 7, 2009 at 1:49 pm

NICE. you tell him, longest name ever. and of course, let’s not forget that sexual thoughts are SICK. SICK you disgusting people! Stop thinking about sex!

Hey, I’m talking to you! Enough! Impulses Shmimpulses! Hey! NO! NO SEX!

DENY YOURSELF BASE HUMAN INSTINCTS!

Also, it’s not that a certain set of words “has” to mean something sexual, it whether or not it “can” mean something sexual. big difference.
23 angrymom // Apr 8, 2009 at 1:37 am

http://www.gawkk.com/burger-king-spongebob-rap-commercial-with-music-by-sir-mix-a-lot/discuss

this is just creepy.. and the burger shot? the shots i can think of right now– gun shots and liquor shots. Its sure not a camera shot… I hate the idea that BK is making money off our kids with CRAP like this..
24 CULTURE CURIOUS: The $5 Value Meal Krystal Ad « Matt and Marlene Devour the Culture // Jun 29, 2009 at 8:39 pm

[...] You know, fast food has gotten really dirty. Burger King has Burger Shots, Hardee’s has their Biscuit Holes, and now this. I thought “Super Size Me” made [...]
25 Xib // Jul 19, 2009 at 5:35 am

Hey guys, here’s a link to the “burger shots” commercial on YouTube. And yes, there’s boobage galore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjrRqDdWiQU
26 echate un click » Blog Archive » Burger King, rey de la publicidad ofensiva // Jul 19, 2009 at 6:07 pm

[...] Advertising Age, So Good, MSNBC, National Post, [...]