Burning Man burning up over Quiznos ad

All told, the film is quite amusing.

When people take themselves quite seriously, there’s always the potential for umbrage.

Apparently, a Quiznos parody video staring the cast of The Maze Runner sequel “Out of the Maze and into the Playa” has struck a chord with the yearly Burning Man gathering.

Created by sandwich chain Quiznos, the ad is a touchingly glorious send-up of wandering into the desert to find your true dusty self.

These are no ordinary neophytes. Yum, dust sandwich. The ad pokes fun at the recent phenomenon of rich Silicon Valley executives overrunning the festival and flaunting their wealth, which seems to have struck a nerve with Burning Man officials. Is there a danger of, as the wise one who speaks to our heroes says: “You kids won’t last a day out in Playa without subtle exposure to corporate influence”.

He said Quiznos, which is based in Denver, had not approached Burning Man about making the video. Can it be that Katy Perry just went to wear a fur coat and fall off her Segway? Quiznos did not speak to the festival’s organizers prior to producing the commercial.

Burning Man spokesman Jim Graham told the Reno Gazette-Journal the festival is considering legal action against the clip not because of its mockery but because it represents a theft of intellectual property.

Burning Man, an annual festival described on its website as “A city in the desert”.

Well, in a news nugget that might make actual Burners feel even queasier than already do today, USA Today reports that Burning Man organizers aren’t particularly good sports when The Man in question chose to do a little burning back.

A message seeking comment with a Quiznos spokeswoman on Saturday was not immediately returned.

“We are pretty proactive about protecting our 10 principles”, Graham officiously claims, in a statement that doesn’t altogether jibe with the free-for-all spirit of the event.

According to Graham, the festival turns down multiple requests every year from companies wanting to show their products at the event. Reportedly, Burning Man is consulting with a legal team to discuss what actions can be taken, but as of this week, has not moved forward with any decisions yet.