Maybe I’m too private a person, but I don’t really see the point of Amazon Echo, Google Home or any of the new wave of voice-activated gimcrackery (editor’s note: read that last word with a geezer-y “Get off my lawn” accent). This new ad from Burger King is pretty much exhibit #1A behind that belief…

See what they did there? If your home has a Google Echo, this actor just prompted it to read you the utterly non-fascinating Wikipedia entry for the Burger King Whopper (fun fact: that page has a total of 6923 words–yipes!). The press release even claims this ad will trigger any Android phones with voice search enabled.

All of which makes this ad a first. And a novelty. But this “breakthrough” feels akin to a computer virus; it makes your electronics do things you didn’t intend them to do at someone else’s bidding in your own home. That is hardly ‘having it your way.’

So points for innovation to Ogilvy offshoot agency David, but points deducted for irritation. Despite the agency President’s assertions, this is by no means “a cool way to connect directly with our guests.”

It’s just more interruptive advertising in a digital suit.