Carl’s Jr. Super Bowl Ad Cooks Up Controversy
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OLGA MALTSEVA/AFP/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — It’s not clear until 28 seconds into a new 42-second Super Bowl commercial that it’s actually an ad for Carl’s Jr.’s new all-natural burger.
Carl’s Jr. on Wednesday released the super-sexy Super Bowl ad via Twitter. It features a scantily clad, buxom woman eating a hamburger and drawing stares — and people are already talking, but not so much about the grass-fed beef.
One person tweeted, “Just saw a preview of Carl’s Jr. commercial for Super Bowl. Now I need a cigarette.”
Another Twitter user posted, “Setting feminism back four decades.”
“The more controversy the better,” AdWeek editor Lisa Granatstein told ABC News’ Good Morning America. “I don’t think they care one way or the other what women think about these ads.”
Carl’s Jr.’s edgy multi-million dollar Super Bowl campaigns regularly bank on the “sex sells” philosophy. Previous commercials featuring Kate Upton, Paris Hilton and Heidi Klum have been so racy, they prompted critics to create the hashtag #WomenAreMoreThanMeat.
While many have called foul on other Super Bowl ads for being too sexy, last year the trend seemed to lean toward the clever or cute, such as an ad showing Budweiser’s popular Clydesdale horse making friends with a puppy.
“A lot of advertisers have backed away from sexy, raunchy advertisements,” Granatstein said.
This year’s early roster suggests some companies may be toning down the shock value.
The new commercial for GoDaddy is expected to show a tamer and fully-clothed scene with Danica Patrick, complete with an adorable puppy.
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