Applebee’s pulls ads from CNN after ill-timed commercial during Russia-Ukraine coverage
A poorly-timed ad for Applebee’s that aired during CNN’s live coverage of the Russia-Ukraine conflict didn’t go over well with viewers as they watched Russian forces blast their way into the former Soviet Union republic.
Applebee’s has responded with an apology and paused advertising on the cable news network, Ad Age and MarketWatch reported.
Criticism was swift after CNN’s broadcast went from footage of air raid sirens wailing across Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv before abruptly cutting to an upbeat commercial teasing cold beers and “a little bit of chicken fried” on Thursday, Feb. 24, according to videos posted online.
The split-screen view allowed the Applebee’s commercial — complete with a dancing cowboy — to continue playing alongside the footage from Ukraine, boldly captioned “RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE.”
Executives for the casual restaurant chain expressed disappointment with CNN over the ad placement.
“When we were made aware that our ad was placed in this manner, we immediately reached out to CNN to pause our advertising on their network,” an Applebee’s spokesperson told Ad Age. “It never should have aired, and we are disappointed in the actions of the network.”
The debacle has prompted CNN to remove “squeezeback,” or minimized advertisements, from the coverage, a CNN spokesperson told McClatchy News.
Viewers didn’t hold back, however, and took to social media to express outrage over the “tone deaf” commercial.
“It’s so (expletive) awkward that CNN will cut from an interview with a Ukrainian family that has had their home bombed and lost everything to a commercial with upbeat music for (expletive) Applebees so quickly,” one Twitter user wrote.
At the direction of President Vladimir Putin, Russian forces invaded neighboring Ukraine in what U.S. President Joe Biden decried as an “unprovoked and unjustified” attack, McClatchy News reported. Thunderous blasts were heard across several Ukrainian cities, according to international news outlets, and military bases have been destroyed as Russian troops advance toward the capital.
U.S. intelligence officials on Friday, Feb. 25, expressed fear that Kyiv will fall to Russia “in just a few days,” Newsweek reported.
“The military may last slightly longer, but this isn’t going to last long,” a former intelligence official told the news outlet.
This story was originally published February 25, 2022 at 2:21 PM with the headline "Applebee’s pulls ads from CNN after ill-timed commercial during Russia-Ukraine coverage."