I just saw this unremarkable A&W ad entitled “Lose Yourself in the Teen Burger” on TV. It’s on (in?) Facebook, so I can’t embed it, but you don’t have to log in to see it.
Maybe I’m imagining things, but there seems to be some cheeky gay subtext (or maybe just text?) here. The dude isn’t hot for Julia or his teen burger. He wants the fetching older gentlemen in the yellow shirt.
I couldn’t decide whether this was intentional or accidental. A & W and their ad agency could easily deny it if they wanted to, but the ad seems otherwise so utterly ordinary. Imagine if the two male actors’ roles were reversed. That might amplify the effect (especially given the whole ‘teen burger’ schtick).
Do you think they intentionally created this ambiguity, or am I over-thinking my television again?
DarrenBarefoot.com 
I don’t know…I’ve seen this commercial a zillion times and I never interpreted any gay overtones. I just assumed that young guy is so into his burger and happy that he’s staring off into the wild blue yonder…burger heaven, or whatever. I didn’t think he was staring at the older guy in the yellow shirt.
I’m going to go with over-thinking.
My first viewing of it made me think that he was looking at the dumpy burger guy too; but on further review, I realized that they were just going for the “lost in a burger” feeling.
Frankly I think that the ad is counterproductive. I don’t want to eat food that has me ignoring attractive women giving me their phone numbers…not that any have done that so far. Is it because I’m eating the Chubby Chicken?
I agree with the others. The guy is staring off into space, lost in the joy of his A&W burger. He doesn’t follow any movements of the A&W guy or anyone else. Definitely a carnivore-pr0n subtext, I guess.
My first impression was that he was gazing at the burger guy, but I never interpreted it as a gay thing, just…admiration, maybe?
I umm… err… really have to stop myself from some really, really bad double entendres about buns and meat, but I digress…
As a gay man I totally broke up when I saw this commercial for the first time. That boy is definitely looking for a
daddy bear .
I just thought the guy was gazing off into distant space, lost in the goodness that is his teen burger. In related news, someone told me some of these A&W commercials are filmed in Mission… I wonder if this was one of them.
Nope. I got no subtext, ergo you’re a perv of the highest order.
Well apparently they’ve managed to sell it, no matter what, but I have found myself a bit confused by the commercial. Definitely absorbed in the burger, though.
It’s burger love for sure. Mr. A&W doesn’t appear until half way through the ad, yet burger boy never adjusts his gaze.
Damn, now I want a burger.
That’s quite the illogical gay leap you have taken. He has clearly zoned out on the taste of the burger. I’m not quite sure what you have zoned out on though.
Mad gay overtones.
I’m sure the next commercial will be that older guy in the yellow shirt buttfucking the young guy in a public bathroom.