Note: This post is in reaction to a mild debacle over a Zaxby's chicken ad in the 2019 NFL Superbowl.
(https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/michael-foust/zaxby-s-super-bowl-ad-mocked-chick-fil-a-for-closing-sundays-and-it-backfired.html?utm_medium=fbpage&utm_source=cross&utm_campaign=cdupdate&fbclid=IwAR3IAlfqn4jdc9pFV0136eoU3Wm2l8mK2lk9uuuZjn6Wu3oXLtKlaRjzjBY)
It's not so much about this particular instance; that's just the latest example. It's more of a mild lambaste of our goofy Christian subculture. :-)
Seeing as how the ad doesn't even mention Chick-Fil-A, and knowing the fun nature of a lot of other Zaxby ads, I doubt the restaurant was really trying to "mock" Chick-Fil-A for being closed on Sundays. Yes, it does seem to be a lighthearted jab but I don't see that it's anything to get offended by or upset about. I have no problem eating at either place. Both are pretty good. (Though I will say Zaxby's took a while to grow on me- it's not a big favourite to go to often, but I do enjoy their salads when I go. I probably go to Chick-Fil-A more often but I don't go there all the time either.)
Similar restaurants take little jabs at each other all the time as part of friendly competition. McDonald's and Burger King have done it. Pepsi and Coca-Cola have certainly done it. And when it's done as lighthearted fun, I don't think it's a big issue.
I also don't think Christians should assume that Zaxby's is trying to mock Chick-Fil-A's Christian values just because of this ad. It seems like they were trying to capitalize on a selling point that they have over CFA- they are open on Sundays! And I appreciate places being open on Sundays. Jesus said it's good to do good on the Sabbath. As a New Testament Christian, I'm not under the Law but under Grace.
I appreciate CFA carrying out its convictions but I think this is an issue that falls under individual believers' consciences.
In any case, there are things worth getting upset about, but I don't think this is one of them. Chick-Fil-A is nice but it's not better than anyone else just for its owner's faith. I understand Christians wanting to patronize it because of that but I do get tired of the jokes that near-deify the place above any other restaurant.
Our Christian subculture is so weird at times- lol. And it should be weird- but let's be weird for the right reasons. Be a weirdo for Jesus and uphold His commands- and turn the other cheek when there is real or perceived slander. And let's find the right hills go die on- I don't think this is one of them. Eat mor chikin at Chick-Fil-A or Zaxby's or both- and love and follow Jesus more. :-)
Yeah, I agree that we shouldn't defy a certain aspect of Christian subculture, but I probably would have made a different commercial if I were Zaxby's. Even so, they probably weren't trying to explicitly denigrate Chick-fil-A's Christian values.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point too. I probably wouldn't have made that commercial either; Zaxby's should have considered how it might be perceived regardless of how they intended it.
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