Legal Sea Foods faces backlash over 'sexist' ad calling Hillary Clinton a 'cold fish'
Restaurant chain Legal Sea Foods has come under fire for a "sexist" print ad it ran in the Boston Globe calling Democrat nominee Hillary Clinton a ‘cold fish’.
Legal Seafoods' latest ad has been accused of 'sexism' by commentators online / Hillary Clinton Legal Seafoods Ad
The New England-based company stumped up for a full page campaign running under the slogan #FeelTheBerk in reference to Bernie Sander’s political mantra and playing on the name of its chief executive Roger Berkowitz, but was soon called out on Twitter for its seemingly misogynistic implications.
'We Have a Term for Cold Fish. Sushi,' noted the creative, adding: 'Berkowitz for President. #FeelTheBerk.'
Some disconcerted Twitter users, however, hijacked the hashtag to show they didn’t find the campaign funny, taking issue with the fact that 'cold fish' can be used as a slur branding an individual as unreceptive to sexual advances.
Whatttt? @legalseafoods placed sexist, offensive ad in today's Globe. Hey, @RogerBerkowitz , you've lost my biz. https://t.co/TuwbD6HoEL
— Shelley Boston (@ShelleyRogert) July 25, 2016
Hey @legalseafoods, I'm done with you if you don't retract your misogynistic ads and apologize. #feeltheberk
— Beth (@bethg24) July 25, 2016
Just tried to call #legalseafoods HQ to register disgust at hateful misogyny in Globe ad today. No one home. #feeltheberk #sexismisnotfunny
— Kent Greenfield (@Kentgreenfield1) July 25, 2016
former proud employee of @legalseafoods, now disgusted w #sexist ad in @BostonGlobe stick to fish Roger #feeltheberk pic.twitter.com/vJlbLGgkFA
— bremcgahey (@bremcgahey) July 25, 2016
Older women are a significant component of @legalseafoods clientele, which makes today's offensive #feeltheberk "cold fish" ad inexplicable
— Bill McNulty (@Wlmlawrence) July 25, 2016
I am now a former @legalseafoods customer after disgusting & misogynistic ad in today's paper. #shame #feeltheberk pic.twitter.com/BmSrLhOfxP
— Al Gordon O'Connell (@agordonesq) July 25, 2016
The ad is part of a wider push that the brand has been running as part of a faux campaign endorsing Berkowitz for the as the next US leader.
When approached for comment by the Boston globe the boss pointed out that his firm had recently taken aim at Donald Trump over his perceived small hands and that the business didn't expect the "kneejerk vehemence" with which the Clinton ad was received.
"Like with the Trump ad, we said, 'Let’s see what the perception is of the candidate and see if we can get a fish message in,'" Berkowitz told the paper, adding: "the common perception of Hillary is that she’s a little bit cold, not exactly warm and fuzzy. This was a way for us to say OK, she’s a little cold, let’s do something with sushi. It is absolutely not politically motivated.
“It would be disingenuous to do an ad on Trump and not one on Hillary,” he continued.
Legal Seafoods, which operates over 30 restaurants across six states, is no stranger to courting controversy with its advertising. Its current campaign faced a backlash after stating: 'If we build a wall on the border who will eat our delicious fish tacos?' following Trump's comments about building a wall on the Mexican border.
Additionally, another video spot prompted complaints from animal welfare supporters after claiming it was important to save the fish so we can eat them.