Burger King's oh-so-brief relationship with Indian Goddess Lakshmi
Priya Ramani -
Friday, July 10, 2009 10:45 AM
Burger King's logic for this ad, which it had to promptly withdraw after zillions of self-righteous Hindus protested, was a punchline about a sacred snack. I guess someone at the company googled "Cool Gods" or some such. And Lakshmi's lotus fit beautifully over the beef chilli con carne Texican Whopper. Contrast Burger King's complete lack of general knowledge about Hindus with McDonald's strategy for their Hindu burger worshippers--the latter doesn't even serve beef at its restaurants.
I guess that's why McDonald's has been doing good business in India for more than 10 years, while Burger King has still to launch in this country.
Update: I actually googled Cool Gods and found a funny post on roadjunky.com titled Shiva is the Only Cool God. Here it is:
Shiva is arguably the only really cool god. He sits around
in a loincloth, gets stoned and meditates for thousands of years with cobras
around his neck. He's inclined to do the dance of destruction once in a while
and just check out his taste in women--Durga and in particular, Kali, are not
goddesses most would want to wake up to.
To his followers Shiva is sometimes seen as everything in
one--Creator, Preserver, Destroyer and tooth fairy all in one. His traditional
role as the Destructor is not seen as something negative. It's more seen as the
process of change and passing away so that new things may come.
Shiva is the god of yogis as such a steadfast ascetic and
celibate. Although with pure Indian logic he's also a passionate lover and the
snakes around his neck represent his kundalini sexual energy. He's often
worshipped through the lingum, a huge clay phallus that will be drenched in
milk mixed with bhang, resin from marijuana leaves.
He's a favourite god of many sadhus. They will cover
themselves with ashes, dress in saffron and praise his name each time they
smoke a chillum.