Jersey Mike’s Turkey Resume Dream Job Commercial Has A Fatal Error

Something about this ad really rubbed me the wrong way when I saw it for the first time. And every time since. To preface this, I like the Jersey Mike’s company. I have nothing against sliced meat. But take a look at this ad and scroll down for what stuck out to me when I watched…

https://youtu.be/iH2DXGIRuyg

I have a history of thinking about things a little too much, but am I wrong that this particular line in the voiceover is mind-boggling?

“Turkey already has its dream job at Jersey Mike’s.”

OK, not mind-boggling… it’s just plain ignorant. Or maybe they assume the American public is ignorant? Jersey Mike’s is suggesting that a gobble-gobble turkey– a live animal– has a “dream job” to be raised on a farm (probably in not the best conditions, too), killed, sliced into lunch meat, and eaten? Somehow I think if a turkey could speak, it might object to this assumption.

This is me reading too far into it, I know. But there are a lot of good commercials out there (thinking about you Kohl’s!), and in the limitless world of creative writing I’m surprised this is the script they went with. Overall the ad isn’t bad, but it’s climactic moment–the hook, if you will– is a false statement that takes the commercial down into the failure zone.

Have you seen the ad on TV? What was your first reaction?

Thanks for stopping by!

-Out of the Wilderness