Burger King apologizes for offensive Russian World Cup pregnancy ad

Martin Rogers | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Burger King encouraged Russian women to sleep with World Cup stars Burger King apologized after an advertisement in Russia promised women a reward if they became impregnated with the child of a World Cup soccer player.

MOSCOW — Burger King has apologized for an extraordinarily insensitive advertisement that promised Russian women a lifetime supply of free meals and a cash “prize” if they were to become pregnant with a child fathered by a World Cup soccer player.

The chain launched the campaign on Russian social media outlet VK, promising a payment of $47,000 plus a lifetime supply of Whoppers.

The offer was extended to “girls who manage to get the best football genes” and “lay down the success of the Russian national football team”, the indication being that the offspring produced by such liaisons would grow up to be soccer stars. “It is a reward for the girls who would get pregnant from the international football superstars,” the message continued.

Burger King pulled the campaign off social media on Tuesday and admitted it was “too offensive.”

In a statement released to USA TODAY Sports on Thursday, Burger King's media relations department at its U.S. headquarters apologized for "the clearly offensive promotion that the team in Russia launched online.

"As soon as it was brought to our attention, we had it removed. It certainly does not reflect our brand or our values and we are taking steps to ensure this type of activity does not happen again."

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The advertising move was the latest in a number of commercials in Russia leading up to and during the World Cup that were themed around the plight of the host country’s national team. Russia came into the event ranked 70th in the world, the highest in the field and was considered unlikely to make any significant progress in the tournament.

However, it has handily won its first two games to guarantee a spot in the knockout stage, riding the wave of patriotic support.

Russian political leaders criticized the Burger King campaign as crass and inappropriate. “It is a very stupid campaign … from the hellish people of the fast-food chain,” Russian State Duma leader Vitaly Milonov told reporters. “(They are) trying to attract attention, not by improving the quality, but through silly offers.”

Ksenia Fadeeva, 19, a student from Moscow, said that Russian women are accustomed to such sexist advertisements. "It is normal for us," she told USA TODAY Sports. "It is pathetic, but companies know they can appeal to the basic instincts of Russian men in this way. My male friends thought it was funny. We get used to this."