Commentary

I'm Cravin' It (Not)

by Richard Whitman , Columnist, February 19, 2018

CKE Restaurants decided that the long holiday weekend was the perfect time to announce the separation of its Siamese twin-like brands: Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s.

Havas has been selected for Crave AOR duties.

Carl’s Jr., best known for years of ads from 72andSunny featuring baby-oil-slicked-down-scantily-clad-models shoving overly-stuffed burgers down their pie-holes, wants to be the food brand you crave.

I’m not really cravin’ it.

I mean really Carl’s? You want to create a junkie culture around your brand?

That’s a crappy idea. But heck, it’s your money. And your product isn’t the healthiest food to ingest on the planet, so I kinda get why you’re not pushing the nutrition angle. Fast-food chains and QSRs rarely do.

But don’t you think there’s enough addiction in our culture? You call it crave. Call it what you want, it’s unhealthy behavior.

And Matthew McConaughey, I thought you were a class act. Why don’t you stick to pushing Lincolns? This crave crap is beneath you.

CKE issued a release full buzzword bingo BS, which you can read here.

advertising, agency, fast food

2 comments about "I'm Cravin' It (Not)".

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Jonathan Hutter from Northern Light Health, February 19, 2018 at 8:54 p.m.
I guess that's what passes for creativity. Write some half-assed copy with ridiculous words. But that's ok, we'll get Matthew McCounnaugghhey to read it. Blame the client or the agency?
Reply

Ed Papazian from Media Dynamics Inc, February 20, 2018 at 7:57 a.m.

Assuming that this is a poor strategy----which may be dabatable------the "blame" goes too both the agency and the client, not either party, individually.