Burger King created a quirky little 15-second ad spot that triggered Google Assistant on Android devices and Google Home. The spot is scheduled to air on major networks in the US starting today.<\/b>
Burger King seems to be in the mood for some creative ad campaigns. A 15-second spot featuring someone holding a \u2018Whopper Sandwich\u2019 while touting its fresh ingredients doesn\u2019t seem too malicious, right until the end, when the person leans into the camera and says, \u201cOK Google, what is a Whopper burger?\u201d
That, of course, triggers many Android devices capable of listening to Google Assistant\u2019s call, as well as the Google Home. If prompted, Google\u2019s handy Assistant proceeds to read the description of Burger King\u2019s Whopper burger off Wikipedia.
It wasn’t long after the ad showed up that the Wikipedia page became a target for an \u2018editing war\u2019 as people discovered the ad’s possibilities. Since then, the page has been restored to its pre-ad state and locked.
As for the advertisement; while Burger King may have thought that this idea was clever, it only took Google about three hours to stop its Assistant from responding to the advertisement. However, the query still works if asked by a real person, which Google likely achieved using the clip itself.
Burger King\u2019s ad is still scheduled for prime-time spots on major networks starting from today, albeit in a defanged state. These networks include History, Spike, MTV, Bravo, E!, and Comedy Central. It\u2019s also supposed to air during Adult Swim , The Tonight Show , and Jimmy Kimmel Live.
It\u2019s fun to watch companies exploit modern gadgets to their advantage, but this one idea may have been a bit too annoying. Google\u2019s somewhat quick reaction, however, was reassuring.
Source: The Verge<\/p>\n