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It's pretty obvious, ladies: The 30-second spot with Kim Kardashian lolling around in bed with a Carl's Jr. chicken salad isn't meant for us. And it's not really about that salad, either. This is full-on food porn, but let's be honest -- in fast-food ads these days, the porn is more like, well, porn. The Kardashian commercial has all the staples of the genre -- the smooth, sexy soundtrack, plenty of cleavage shots, and even an eye-opening close-up of glistening drops of dressing on her lips and falling down between her breasts. Hungry yet?
Another recent gem comes courtesy of Burger King, this time a print image that was released in Singapore of a woman seconds away from deep-throating a sandwich called the "seven-incher." (Burger King was also responsible for that bizarre spot advertising Sponge Bob Square Pants kids meals with scantily clad women dancing to "Baby Got Back.")
Not for women. Got it. But are men really buying what they're selling? Evidently, yes. The Kardashian ad comes courtesy of CKE Restaurants, the parent group of Carl's Jr. and Hardee's. The campaign actually started in 2005, with a spot featuring bathing-suit-clad Paris Hilton arching, crawling and posing her way around a wet Bentley to the tune of "I love Paris in the Summer." Oh yeah, and at some point therein, she eats a Carl's Jr. burger. (Seductively, of course.)
Beth Mansfield, CKE's director of public relations, says the ads are intended for one specific audience: the 18-34 demographic. "We call them 'Young Hungry Guys,'" she says. "They're the ones who eat with us most often. They use us basically as a replacement for their kitchen." Data from the National Restaurant Association does show a gender divide: Overall, men tend to dine out slightly more often than women: 5.1 times per week on average vs. 4.2 times per week.
"We're not out to offend anyone," Mansfield says. "We're out to entertain and get the attention of one very select audience. Do we want to create buzz? Do we want to make our ads memorable? Absolutely." The stakes are high. Fast-food sales in 2010 are expected to reach $164.8 billion, a 3 percent increase from 2009. Mansfield's coveted 'Young Hungry Guys' are important because they're repeat customers. "It's not just once or twice a month," she says. "It's several times a week. They are our biggest fans."
And they're also fans of T&A, judging from the success of CKE's commercials. "If you're watching a Laker's game, you might see other fast-food commercials on several times," Mansfield says. "And you might only see the Kim Kardashian ad on twice. But that's one that people don't usually TiVo through." And obviously, it's cheaper than pay-per-view.
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2-17-2010 @4:23PM Sarah said... Just porn - the food doesn't even look that good.
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2-17-2010 @6:11PM Noadi said... Yes, but their target market really doesn't care. They don't have high standards for their food, if it's cheap and they don't have to cook it they're happy. This comprises a depressingly large percentage of single guys under 30 that I've met.
2-18-2010 @11:00AM MissMo said... I totally agree with Sarah. Having had the Interesting????? opportunity to work at the CKE Corporate offices in Carpinteria, I also had the opportunity to be part of the "Taste Test" process when a new product was being tested before being put on the menu in the restaruant. The food is pure "junk food". Little or no healthy content.
And the "sex" thing is the standard measure of a woman's worth that starts with the CEO and filters down in the office.
2-18-2010 @11:20AM Kim said... Lol. Very well said Naodi.
2-18-2010 @8:04AM christopher said... I agree with Sarah and Noadi but I'm of those baker guys Hardee's doesn't like. I doesn't matter what the product is - marketing 101 says put a half naked girl next to it and people will buy it.
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2-18-2010 @8:59AM Lin said... I think it's great ad. If thats what she really eats and looks that good, I'm buying
2-18-2010 @1:34PM Lynn said... Are you kidding, does seeing some skank rolling around slobbering over a salad make you want to run out and buy one? Nasty!
2-18-2010 @9:04AM judith Thayer said... By saying , "People will buy it." do you mean men? The ad is just plain wrong. Jack in the Box usually has great ads, I assume they do fairly well, and they don't reduce themselves to lack of taste.
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2-18-2010 @9:00AM Bill G. said... I'd eat her and the salad. Not necessarily in that order!
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2-18-2010 @9:02AM MATT said... I'd like to eat her salad
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2-18-2010 @10:50AM Frankie D said... What salad?
2-18-2010 @11:10AM matt said... Frankie the one that smells like fish but taste like chicken. Of couse I would turn into a lickalotofpuss
2-18-2010 @9:17AM Jon Kite said... I quit Carl's Jr. after the "Paris" ad anjust about a year ago startied going back to Carl's. NOE....it seeya later to Carl's again. I can't support a business that goes this far off the charts to reach a "Segment" of the population. Others, kids for instance see this junk advetrtising, so Carl's for all those you attract you's lose on the other end of the spectrum. JK
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2-18-2010 @7:34PM tsatske said... @ The two 'men' who would 'eat her salad'...what on earth makes you think that she would even allow you near her 'salad'. Males are so amusing.
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2-18-2010 @9:52AM alleycat5153 said... so, where's the VIDEO ? you guys left me wanting more, more, more !
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2-18-2010 @9:38AM rccsv said... PARIS DID IT BETTER ! I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF PARIS , BUT SHE DID THE HAMBUGER SPOT, AND SHE WAS HOT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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2-18-2010 @10:47AM greenchilegranny said... This ad is about as lame as the one of Paris Hilton with a garden hose rolling around half naked with a Carl's Jr. burger. If you have to use sex to sell a hamburger your hamburgers must be pretty bad!!!
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2-18-2010 @10:38AM EWill said... These Kardashians girls are so sleazy. This commercial IS like porn and so is their other commercial for the diet pills..... I guess that is all they're good at considering Kim Kardashian is famous for a sex tape. That's it. Just a sex tape. I guess they're working toward their goal of full-on porn stars. Good Luck with that.
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2-18-2010 @10:43AM Larry said... I'd like to eat her taco at the Y!!!!!!
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2-18-2010 @10:47AM ingi said... the food tastes the same whether you have an ugly broad or a topless foxy babe,,,,it's the women who complain.......and YES I am woman!!!!!!!
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