• by Fern Siegel , February 8, 2024

Carl's Jr. is serving up some surprises.

First, it returns to the Super Bowl on Feb. 11 after nearly a decade. Austin, Texas-based agency Callen will debut its new creative, titled "Jets." A pilot is lured by the restaurant's latest offer.

Second, it's offering a Free Burger Day on Feb. 12, the day after the big game.

To alert diners, the nationwide fast-food franchise, known for charbroiled burgers, enlisted CKE Restaurants CMO Jennifer Tate, who appears in CMO Announcement, one of the spots in the planned campaign.

"When you combine the undeniable deliciousness of Carl's Jr. burgers and the infectious fun from Callen, we have the perfect ingredients for creative that stands out,” Tate said.

The four Free Burger Day spots show how far demanding customers will go to land the Western bacon cheeseburger. They are BBQ Sauce, Do’s & Don'ts,Fan and Devices. Jets V2  will also air Feb. 12.

“A lot of brands say they want great work, but aren't willing to take the necessary risks to actually achieve it. This was not one of those times,” says Craig Allen, founder-CCO, Callen. “We presented some truly outrageous ideas and the brand team was willing to lean in at every turn.”

Callen's roster includes Nickelodeon, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Ibotta and Naked Wines.

"This campaign is about reminding people why they love Carl's Jr.," David Hughes, president-partner, Callen, told Agency Daily. "The primary audience is still young, hungry burger-fanatics — and this campaign uses the biggest stage in advertising to reconnect with them."