Burger King Pissed Off Female Customers to Make This Powerful 'Pink Tax' Commercial

Not that any woman reading this needs a reminder, but the pathetic reality is that products and services marketed to women are typically priced much higher than the same ones marketed to men. Razors, deodorant, dry cleaning, and even kids toys -- the "women's version" of each is marked up, on average, about 42% more than the men's version. In consumer parlance, the phenomenon is known as the "pink tax" and it's a practice that many women have long been pushing back against.

Now, the folks at Burger King are joining the fight, and have just unleashed a new commercial that playfully raises awareness of the issue by showcasing how brutally unfair it is for women to have to pay more than men for the exact same thing. 

In the ad, actual customers in a Burger King are seen ordering the chain's popular Chicken Fries and hidden cameras capture the reactions of women who are asked to fork over $1.50 more than men who order the same menu item. The only difference? The women's Chicken Fries come in a cutesy pink box (of the exact same size) that's labeled "Chick Fries."

As you might expect, the the female customers are not pleased with the prospect of paying significantly more for the same thing. Tempers flare as "employees" goad them by asking whether they bat an eye at paying more than men for other products that are essentially the same. Eventually, the customers learn the whole thing is a stunt and sound off on camera about why the "pink tax" is bullshit. The commercial is surprisingly effective, and even encourages the viewer to get involved by contacting their representative to support the Pink Tax Repeal Act.

This isn't the first time BK has taken a stance on a controversial and vaguely political issue. After the FCC voted to gut net neutrality, the brand released an excellent ad warning of the dangers of living in a post-net neutrality world. And considering the litany of issues bubbling up these days, it likely won't be the last. 

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Joe McGauley is a senior writer for Thrillist. Follow him @jwmcgauley.