ABOUT ADS OF THE WEIRD

With Ads of the Weird, MSNBC.com takes a look at some of the oddest, most eye-catching, controversial and just plain interesting advertising out there today. Primary writer Allison Linn covers the retail and advertising industries for MSNBC.com. The Ads of the Weird team is always interested in hearing what ads have caught your attention, whether it's online, on television or in print.


Arby’s is thinking phallic imagery

Posted: Monday, December 15, 2008 4:00 PM by Allison Linn
Filed Under: ,

We’ve said this before and we’ll say it again: Sex does not sell everything. And one thing it really doesn’t sell very well is fast food.

The latest entrant in the surprisingly crowded "fast food as erotica" genre comes from Arby’s.

The chains’ recent ad for the chicken cordon bleu sandwich begins with a pudgy guy wearing sweats and white socks sitting on a bed, surrounded by pillows and candles.


Arby's (Click image for ad.)

"You know I’m only doing this for your birthday!" a woman calls out, before entering the room wearing an Arby’s uniform and carrying a tray of food.

"Wow," the man exclaims, "Me likey." And then, as if we didn’t already get the not-so-subtle hints, a cartoon version of the chain’s logo -- a long cowboy hat -- pops up above the guy’s head, accompanied by a little "boing" sound.

Suffice to say we’ll never look at the Arby’s logo the same way again, and we don’t mean that in a good way.

Instead of making us laugh -- or better yet -- crave an Arby’s sandwich, the ad left us feeling a little queasy. We’re guessing that’s not the response a company that sells food is going for.

Also, every time we saw the ad, we wanted to yell at the TV screen, "Hey, sandwich guy! Your wife/girlfriend went to all this trouble for your birthday and, what, you can’t even bother to lose the sweats and white socks ensemble for the occasion? Come on!"

We had a similar reaction to last year’s Dairy Queen commercial, which attempted to make food sexy by implying that its Blizzard dessert was created after a soft serve ice cream and a waffle cone had an amorous encounter.

Click here to view the ad.

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Comments

The Dairy Queen commercials were cute. They were about love, not sex. It's not about "these things HAD SEX and this is their baby"; it's about "these things GOT MARRIED and this is their baby". There was no gutter thinking in it. It was all about love and romance and being "meant for each other".

The Arby's commercial... not so much.

Caliban Darklock, Puyallup, Washington (Sent Monday, December 15, 2008 7:15 PM)

Are you crazy?  So many people I know laughed so hard that it put Arby's back on their minds and I have no doubt it'll lead to better sales.  Squeamish?  Not everyone is as sensitive as others wish they were.  Of course, conservatives will probably boycott them or something - but who cares.  Everyone made this corellation years ago (admit it, your mind was in the gutter the first time you were old enough to realize what that logo looked like), it's about time Arby's played on it with a humorous TV ad.  L O L

ccrider (Sent Monday, December 15, 2008 7:31 PM)

Anyone who has been married for a few years will appreciate this spot. The "sproing" sound effect is what makes it funny -- they could have done without the "me likey" comment, but subtlety is not the aim here. Demographically, it hits right where Arby's needs to grow the brand - males in their 20s and 30s. The guy in the spot is "everyguy" -- he's dressed down on purpose. Admittedly, female viewers probably won't appreciate this spot as much as men will.

Greg (Sent Monday, December 15, 2008 8:08 PM)

Personally, I thought the commercial was funny.
maybe you should go buy yourself a sense of humor if all your getting paid to do is talk about commercials.

Michael Wortham, Clarksville Tennessee (Sent Monday, December 15, 2008 8:46 PM)

no kidding - this commercial has a high EWWWWWWWW factor.  

dita, nashbille, tn (Sent Monday, December 15, 2008 8:48 PM)

Lighten Up.  It is funny... and it accomplished exactly what it was supposed to do...make people think of Arbys.   If not in a sexy food way... but to think of the name of the company none the less.  

It's kinda like the Head on commercial ("apply directly to the forehead").  Yeah it was anoying, but very effective.  I ask, before the add, did anyone ever know of Headaon?

Simply by writing you article, you have made a lot of people happy on Madison Ave.   You are spreading the word.

John (Sent Monday, December 15, 2008 11:09 PM)

Aloha,  I sent a letter to Arbys about the ad.  I couldnt believe their logo looks like a male member.

Julie Lappert (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 12:15 AM)

I have to completely disagree with you on this. I loved this commercial and got a huge laugh out of it.  I am not a fast food person but I must say this along with other Arby's series of humorous commercials are absolutely among the BEST!!!!

Reed Assad (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 12:50 AM)

Soon as I saw this ad, I thought "OMG, what were they thinking!?"  What poor taste. Had to be a bunch of guys in the boardroom thinking of this one. I can't imagine a woman coming up with this idea.

TV watcher (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 2:55 AM)

The first time I saw this commercial-I was offended -and I'm not a prude!!  Parents try so hard to teach their children right and wrong and this commercial is just unacceptable. I am boycotting Arby's!

Did Arby's do the ad with the sheep in the commercial-sick, just sick!!

elise fousek (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 6:43 AM)

i sure wish all of the arbys girls where that hot! i would eat at arbys everyday!! LOL

big john (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 7:59 AM)

Ever since I saw the very first Arby's ad with the logo over peoples heads I thought it looked like, you know, the "boing" thing. I believe it has been the intent all along.  His wife doesn't even look too good in the uniform either.

Scott, Mobile, AL (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 8:11 AM)

Have to disagree.  The whole setup, including the socks, sweats and the "pudgy" guy, add to the fantasy obviously being played out.  Found the boinging hat to be clever, but you're right...that image is gonna be hard to dismiss.  But then, isn't that the point of advertising?  To embed images in our heads we almost don't realize are there.

David Howell, Tallahassee, FL (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 8:21 AM)

I, too, thought, 'Why do they think sex cal sell everything?'. I actually found the ad slightly humorous. I had never realized the Arby's logo was actually supposed to represent a penis, until I saw this ad.

What angered me, however, was when it was shown in the 7PM time-slot the other night while my 12 year old daughter was watching a Christmas special. Just what are the channels doing selling ad space to companies that want to sexualize our children. Or do the owners of the TV channels want to sexualize our kids too? That's a rhetorical question. Of course they do so that then they can lure them to watch Gossip Girl, and other similar shows, which depict teens engaging in sex for the sake of engaging in sex.

I don't know what, if any, kind of influence Ads of the Weird may have, or any of you readers, but can't someone please make the TV execs understand that we want to keep our kids innocent for as long as possible. And, when it is time for our kids to learn about adult matters, we'd like to teach them ourselves without having to explain why the Arby's logo pops up over the pudgy guy's head when the waitress walks in the room? One more reason to limit TV time, or turn it off altogether....which happens more and more in this house. By the way, I'll never eat at Arby's again. Huge EWWW factor!!!!

John - Mohawk, NY (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 8:42 AM)

I think it is a fantastic commercial.  I laugh everytime I see it.  

Matt, Columbia, MO (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 8:46 AM)

C'mon, you're reviewing ADVERTISEMENTS? Couldn't find a more meaningful job? What are they just trying to fill seats in the "news media" these days? I sense a touch of Feminazi-ism in your review.
By the way, the ad was funny, and I ate at Arby's last night...guess what I had...yep, chicken cordon bleu! It was good too.

Steve S., Clover VA (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 8:49 AM)

Don't care what you say, the Arby's ad is HILARIOUS!!!! After I saw it, I went there and got a CCB :-)

IV, Dallas, TX (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 9:22 AM)

Actually, this commercial doesn't make me queasy or sicken me...but it also doesn't make me want to eat that sandwich.  It does, however, CRACK ME UP.  Maybe I'm just immature but it makes me laugh every time I see it.

Jen, MD (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 9:24 AM)

And I thought I was the only one who found the ad revolting... Have never been an Arby's fan and this ad made me want to try anyting from their menu even less!!

Lisa, Miami FL (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 9:42 AM)

Yep, queasy is the most prevalent of feelings I get when I see that ad. The second being astonishment that he's not sweating up a storm in those clothes with all those candles burning followed up wonder as in if that's not really her uniform, I wonder who gets the house when she dumps him over this.

Lauri P Austin, TX (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 9:46 AM)

This is not the first sexy Arby's ad, they've done a few before this one. One involved a woman calling her husband up to the bedroom and he finds her wearing fishnet stockings and immediately thinks of Arby's fish sandwich. There was another one where the husband got all dressed up in a satin robe and it was the wife that went Arby's on him (I don't remember the item featured).  These commercials are kind of funny in a creepy sort of way.

Ann, Dayton, OH (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 9:48 AM)

They could have at at least hired models to act in the commercial. Having your typical overweight American couple promote your fattening food seems to be another oversight of the Arbys marketing department.

Tim A, Columbus, OH (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 9:49 AM)

I think this ad is super-funny.....ME LIKEY!

Brian (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 9:55 AM)

In a world where sex sells, are you really surprised.  Have you actually watched TV lately?  It's all queasy.

Janice Bolivar, TN (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 9:57 AM)

You are so wrong.  I laughed my butt off and promptly went out and bought a chicken cordon bleu.  Combo even!  It makes total sense that he left his socks and sweats on.  Look at him, Look at her!  Classic

Dave, SLC (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 10:20 AM)

I hated this commercial.  I love Arby's food, but after seeing this, it almost makes me want to stop going.  I don't need to see this kind of advertising to make me go there.  I am getting sick of sexual ads.  It has to stop.

Alan Crabtree, New Castle, IN (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 10:32 AM)

Sorry, but that ad is genius, and I'm guessing their target demographic - slightly paunchy guys in sweats and white socks - loved it.

Patrick V (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 10:36 AM)

I actually find this ad amusing and memorable.  I like that it appeals to the male audience (which is probably the fast food industry's number one client base) but doesn't have to cross the line with cleavage and skin.  My kids don't understand the "boing" reference, but my husband and I do - and giggle at the thought.  

Micki, Zeeland Mi (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 10:38 AM)

Oh Please... it's a fun commercial, the end of which everyone gets but you. Kudos to Arby's for giving us something to silly smile about in these overly stressed out times.  

MzrJoe, York, Pa (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 11:12 AM)

To the author, get a life! This commercial is funny as hell!

Shark, Birmingham, AL (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 11:15 AM)

I love that commercial. I know that it is a bit out of place and probably a bit vulgar for some but come on... who didnt think it was funny that she came out in an Arbys uniform?

Dan (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 11:22 AM)

Queasy, smeasy.  It sold me.  The next time I go to Arby's, it's Chicken Cordon Bleu for me.  Get a life.

Rich Aldridge, Beltsville, MD (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 11:22 AM)

Personally, I thought it was kind of funny. I think you may be reading too much into it.

Jim L (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 11:23 AM)

When I saw this commercial, I was shocked. As a man, there are enough television shows that I avoid because this is not the type of thing I need to see as a father and husband and as a christian. Needless to say that I will never go to Arby's again.

Mike in Ashville NY (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 11:38 AM)

I thought it was great.  You have no clue man.

chad (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 11:56 AM)

You just sound uptight. I think the commercial is funny and you don't speak for me so stop using the word "we" in your articles.

anonymous (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 12:09 PM)

While neither of us like Arby's, my wife and I are looking into acquiring an Arby's uniform.  Don't see anything on the their website, so I might have actually go into one... :-(

Like Marge Simpson says, "People do strange things on TV, like eat at Arby's"

Wally, California (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 12:21 PM)

YES!  I totally sent this in for comment after having a number of conversations about it with friends.  I then googled it to see other people's reactions and yeah...lots of people are seriously creeped out by this Arby's commercial.  The "boing" noise is what puts it over the top.

Sue O, Washington, DC (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 12:26 PM)

Dear MSNBC,

I don't recall when Ms. Linn took over Ads of the Weird, but please give the task back to whoever had it before (was it Gael Cooper?)
Ms. Linn has shown a complete lack of a sense of humor  with the "critiques" of this harmless ad, the JCPenny doghouse ad, the Gamestop "naughty" ad and the Dairy Queen waffle cone/soft serve hookup ad.
The ad isn't supposed to be high art. It's 30 seconds to get you to remember the product (works) and attempts to be entertaining (works). If the humor isn't your cup of tea, fine, but when you make a comment like:

"Also, every time we saw the ad, we wanted to yell at the TV screen, 'Hey, sandwich guy! Your wife/girlfriend went to all this trouble for your birthday and, what, you can’t even bother to lose the sweats and white socks ensemble for the occasion? Come on!'"

Then you're taking it too seriously. He's supposed to be a bit of a schlub, that's what makes it funny.

Seriously, MSNBC, please find someone else who can critique a commercial with a modicum of wit and without undue self-righteousness.

Brian H., Studio City, CA (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 12:28 PM)

get commerical makes want to stop at ARBYS  get real it is funny

christina (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 12:50 PM)

Hilarious,all my friends and co-workers have mentioned it.Talk about name recognition.Food has always been great whatever the commercial.

archie fisher,finger,n.c. (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 12:50 PM)

I think Ms Linn is wrong.  This ad works well for Arby's demographics.

Josh S, Fairfax, VA (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 12:59 PM)

I laughed so hard when I saw that commercial! Suggestive - yes, but funny none the less...

Susan K (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 1:12 PM)

You know, I used to like eating at Arby's, I really did.  I've ignored their more sophomoric adds up to now but this one went too far.  I hadn't thought of the hat symbol as phallic but I do now.  Thanks for that little image, Arby's.  And I REALLY don't want to know anything about your 'dipping sauce' either.  I wonder when Taco Bell will pick up on this advertisement idea.  Things that make you go, 'hmmm'.

What really turned me off was that this add came on early one evening when my 8 year old son and I were sitting down to watch a Christmas movie on TV. A CHRISTMAS MOVIE!  Come on, this add needs to be aired later at night, like after 9pm.  Trust me, The target audience of sloppy, pudgy 20-30 something guys will still be up watching TV.

David, Spokane, Wash. (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 1:15 PM)

I've been a fan of Arby's since they opened..especially their Horsey sauce. At 72nothing much shocks me...and I guess I'm still pretty naive, because my 35 year old son had to point out to me that the silly cowboy hat was an ....er ...penis. Naw! I kept insisting. You're just looking for grit! Fist hit on a google was this blog. I found it hilarious...and now I really wish Arby's would come through on their promise for an Arby's in Hoquiam. It's just too funy. So I'm dumb; so what?

Raennshadow (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 1:21 PM)

I thought it was funny.  My kids were watching, (one of whom is a young teen) and didn't get it at all.  I imagine they assumed that she works at Arbys and went to the trouble of serving him an Arbys meal for his birthday.  
It's one heck of a lot less offensive than the Hardees commercials.  Remember the one with Paris Hilton???  Not to mention the one with the man spanking a cow.  EWWWWWW!!!  
At least this woman (and hubby) were fully dressed.

lizzie (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 1:42 PM)

Haven't seen this new commercail, but sounds about as week as all the other Arby's commercials.  However, the DQ commercials last year were quite funny.  My wife and I both enjoyed that ad campaign.

Tim, Schaumburg, IL (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 2:04 PM)

Brian H.:

I totally agree with you.  

This ad is funny!  It's actually somewhat creative.  

It may not make me want a sandwich, but it made me laugh.  So did the other one they did recently with the whole marrying a goat thing.  

I give Arby's props for creativity, and comedy.  Some of these people need to lighten up.  Seriously.  

Lyndsay, California (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 2:06 PM)

i LOVE this commercial!!  hilarious!!

amy, las vegas, nv (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 2:15 PM)

If you keep eatting high-sodium high-fat foods like Arby's your cowboy hat will end up looking more like a beret.

Jon Boy, Idaho (Sent Tuesday, December 16, 2008 2:28 PM)



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