(image via makezine)
CP+B has stretched the limit again this time with their Whopper Virgins campaign. I think someone needs to draw the line in the sand. While I think that most of their ads are funny, I think this one pushes the line over the cliff.  Within this economic environment I find it in poor taste.
Even if we were not in one of the worst economic meltdowns of modern times, I would still think this pushes the boundaries of most ethics. Most of the people they refer to in the ad can probably barely afford the dollar menu let alone the Whopper.

“TO FIND OUT ABOUT AMERICA’S FAVORITE BURGER WE HAD TO LEAVE AMERICA.”
(via whoppervirgins.com) – [link updated] 

I believe agencies should institute some sort of global ethics barometer and check themselves against it.  Within this global marketplace and especially being an American company we need to be cognizant of how others in the world live and how they perceive us.  This really has an almost condescending tone when looking at this on a global scale.
I think CP+B is an absolutely brilliant company, the work they do (or used to do) was acclaimed around the world.  The best part about them is they are loved and hated in the same breath. I even interviewed at CP+B in 2006 but the only thing that held me back was relocating to Colorado.  I would still work at this company because I like that they push the limits.
I would hope they do some sort of focus group testing to see what the public response would be to this campaign. It doesn’t seem like they did on this one or they didn’t have a varied enough control group.
Genius or insulting? – the results in approximately 3 days 09 hours 30 minutes 40 seconds (as of this post)