In edgy print ad by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) that connects eating burgers with impotence was killed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association when it compiled its Final Four Tournament Guide last month.
At the buzzer, the NCAA nixed the ad, which shows a large man eating a burger and carries the headline, "Don't be a Whopper!"
Why did the NCAA balk? Officials cited poor taste and concerns over the infringment of Burger King's "Whopper" trademark.
The print goes on to say that a recent Harvard University study linked eating meat to a heightened risk of prostate cancer, and even impotence, through the clogging of arteries.
NCAA officials could not be reached by press time, but Norfolk, Va.-based PETA said the copy is protected by the U.S. Constitution.
"I think that's absurd," said Bruce Friedrich, PETA's vegetarian coordinator. "Parody is completely protected by the First Amendment."
The angle of the ad, which offered free vegan recipes, focuses on the man's zipper as well as the burger in his hand. --Nora FitzGerald