"Meat-Lovers"

The linked video is a new commercial for Burger King's latest menu addition, a plant-based burger called the Impossible Whopper. The commercial shows a series of statements that so-called "meat-lovers" make after trying the Impossible Whopper. Each of the interviewees appears to be a middle-aged male construction worker. This commercial is quite obviously targeting a masculine male audience who identifies as a tough working-class man who probably hasn't given much thought to veganism. Why is this the ad's target audience? According to a statistic from TopRNtoBSN.com, 79% of American vegans are women (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/vegan-woman-lifestyle_n_5063565). This brings into question why veganism is more attractive to women than men. After seeing this ad, finding this statistic, and thinking about this issue, I've come up with a few ideas. One possible explanation could be that many of us think of meat as our main source of protein. Many athletic individuals, especially those who work out quite frequently, consume increased amounts of protein. Athleticism and working out both tend to be considered more masculine. Another explanation I thought about was regarding the masculinities/femininities assigned to food items. For example, a salad is usually seen as a feminine menu item whereas the steak and lobster is a "man's meal". And not just a "man's" meal, but a "wealthy man's" meal. This brings into play the assigned status of "masculine" given to wealth and economic success. It is interesting that the interviewees' job shown in the advertisement is a construction worker: the embodiment of a hard working-class man. Why not, for example, a group of businessmen trying the burger? I feel as though Burger King knows who their target audience is and how to gage them. If this meat-loving hard-working working-class manly man can enjoy a good ol' plant-based burger, why can't you?