Brussels Secretary of State lodges complaint against hamburger advert
The Secretary of State responsible for equal opportunities Nawal Ben Hamou (Francophone socialist) is to lodge a complaint with the Jury for Ethical Advertising Practices (JEP) against an advertisement for the popular chip shop hamburger Bicky Burger. Ms Ben Hamou’s Walloon counterpart Christie Morreale (Francophone socialist) is also preparing a complaint that she intends to lodge with the JEP.
The controversial advertisement features a parody of Roy Liechtenstein print in which a man punches a woman. The woman had handed the man a hamburger that was not in a Bicky burger box. The text balloon next to the man reads “Fake burger or what”.
The advertisement was placed on social media by the Dutch company Goodlife Foods, whose subsidiary Beckers produces the Bicky Burger placed it on social media. The advertisement that appeared to trivialise violence against women was met with a large number of shocked reactions, not least from politicians.
Ms Ben Hamou told VRT News that “I have decided to lodge a complaint with the JEP. The brand is clear encouraging abhorrent behaviour that endangers the physical integrity of women. Bicky Burger has launched a repugnant and completely irresponsible campaign. This shows that we need to redouble our efforts to tackle violence against women and cyber sexism”.
The Walloon Minister Christie Morreale is preparing a complaint both to the JEP and the Institute for Equality between Women and Men. The Francophone green federal MP Sarah Schlitz intends to raise the issue of the advertisement with the Minister responsible for equal opportunities in the caretaker federal governmernt Nathalie Muylle (Flemish Christian democrat).