KFC is in the bad books with Mick Fanning’s mum, after they released an ad parodying the Aussie surfer’s famed encounter with a shark.
Mrs. F is taking Colonel Sanders to court over a South African TV commercial advertising KFC’s new burger, the “Jacked Up Double Crunch”, which features a Mick Fanning lookalike bench-pressing a mean-eating White Pointer while continuing to surf a wave, chill AF.
The tagline declares the burger “next level awesome”, but Fanning’s mum, Elizabeth Osbourne, reckons it’s just plain poor taste.
“I think it is very disrespectful,” she’s told Fairfax. “They’ve put a lookalike in the video. It really brings back a lot of trauma for everybody who has been attacked by a shark.
“Some families have had fatalities and some people are still absolutely scarred without limbs. It’s disrespectful to them and Mick is not at all happy with that.”
Osborne has also revealed that the World Surf League contacted Fanning – who’s currently in Europe preparing for a competition – to tell him that the ad was in breach of its rules.
“Their lawyers were getting in touch with KFC to get it off [the air],” Osborne said. “The comment that Mick made [was] that it’s disrespectful to anyone who has been attacked by a shark and he wants it off as well. We’re very upset about it.”
The ad is also making waves on social media, generating plenty of negative vibes in the Facebook comments section.
KFC Australia has also distanced itself from the whole thing, with a spokesperson telling Fairfax: “The advertisement has been produced in South Africa – KFC Australia is very sensitive to the situation in Australia and this is not the type of ad we would choose to show here.”
Fanning made worldwide headlines back in July when his death-defying scrape with a great white shark was broadcast on live TV.
The Aussie gun is currently in Portugal, ahead of the Moche Rip Curl Pro, which begins on Tuesday.
Check out the controversial ad below.
