Carl’s Jr’s new Super Bowl ad featuring influencer Alix Earle is facing criticisms from TV watchdogs who likened the video to “soft core porn.”
The fast-food franchise tapped the 24-year-old Hot Mess podcast host to be the face of their “hangover burger” promotion for customers the Monday after the Kansas City Chiefs compete against the Philadelphia Eagles for the championship title.
In the video, released on February 7, Earle is seen walking through the aftermath of a rowdy tailgate in a red star bikini top, a low-waisted mini skirt, and knee-high snake print boots.
“Let’s be real; everyone is going to be a hot mess after the game,” she says. “Been there, done that. I’ve got just what you need to cure that post-party bug.”
Earle then takes a slow-motion bite of the “hangover burger,” filled with eggs, double bacon, hash browns, charred beef, ketchup, and sauce.
The Carl’s Jr ad marks the company’s return to its previous “bikinis and burgers” advertising strategy, which saw the likes of Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton licking their fingers and taking baths while wearing minimal clothing.
Kardashian’s 2014 video promotion featured her eating a salad with her hands in the bathtub and on top of her bed, while Hilton’s 2005 commercial included a 15-second clip of her washing herself with a sponge next to a car.
Three years after Kardashian’s Carl’s Jr commercial debut, CKE Restaurants — Carl’s Jr’s parent owner — decided to abandon their famously sexualized marketing strategy to be more child-appropriate.
“Since premiering our now iconic ad starring Paris Hilton 12 years ago, Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s have become synonymous with two things: bikinis and burgers,” said Brad Haley, then the CMO at CKE Restaurants, in a press release that year. That made it difficult to tell viewers about their menu quality, Haley said.
Now, with Earle’s ad scheduled to air during Sunday’s game, members of the Parents Television and Media Council (PTC) are coming after the company for once again sharing “sexually suggestive imagery.”
PTC’s Vice President Melissa Henson said: “Using ‘soft core porn’ to sell burgers was Carl’s Jr.’s previous strategy years ago — and one we called out.
“In 2017, the company appeared to have a change of heart, wisely realizing that strategy was ‘distracting,’” Henson continued in a statement on February 6. “But like Hollywood‘s mindset of reviving old ideas, Carl’s Jr. must have dusted off its outdated playbook, forgetting that it alienated customers with its racy ad campaigns years ago.”
The Independent has contacted Carl’s Jr. for a comment.
Tim Calkins, a clinical professor of marketing at Northwestern, thought the company’s return to its racy advertising roots was symbolic of a new mindset that’s come about with Donald Trump’s return to office.
“I think it does reflect a shift in how the country is feeling. Clearly with the new administration… what is acceptable conduct is changing,” Calkins told the Wall Street Journal.
“And I think you’re seeing Carl’s Jr. jump right on that trend as one of the first brands that’s really pushing the edge on things like this,” he continued.
This year, advertisers are shelling out close to $8 million on average for a 30-second spot during Super Bowl LIX.
That’s up from the $7 million it cost for a 30-second spot in Super Bowl 2024.
