Sunday, September 02, 2007

Ticked Off At Carl's Jr.

I don't want to turn this into a long rant so I won't. HOWEVER, that being said, I do not understand an advertising industry that goes postal over Don Imus and his inexcusable disrespect towards female basketball players and then turns around and promotes a Carl's Jr. commercial that is offensive on so many levels, that I finally caved in and fired an email off to a company in protest.

How many have you seen it? If you have not, picture a high school classroom full of adult actors pretending to be rappin', dancin' students fulfilling the classic male school fantasy of the sexy teacher with all the attention of teach's round butt and what she needs to do to flatten it.

I'm sitting in my livingroom trying to figure out what happened to my channel. By the time I figured out it was a commercial, the Carl's Jr. logo popped up promoting their flat bun burgers. Yep, the same folks promoting that favored chicken part a few years ago - the plump breast. Oh, and let's not forget Paris Hilton washing a car, while we're at it.

Here's the link if you want to put in your 2 cents. Oh, and the Carl's Jr. home page has the ad up as well.

I had the misfortune of seeing your flat buns commercial last night on TV. Yes, misfortune. I don't want there to be any doubt about how I viewed this commercial. I've talked to women from their early 20's to late 50's today and they all object.

What are you thinking pandering to dirty little boy jr. high school mentality? Who do you think brings the kids to Carl's Jr. for a quick meal? Mothers do, that's who, because clearly you have forgotten who is paying at the drive thru for the kids in the backseat.

We saw this commercial last night and were baffled by it right from the start. Then the Carl's Jr. logo pops up and we were appalled. Not only will we not be going to Carl's Jr. until your advertising reps figure out that it's not good to objectify women, the kids will also understand why they aren't going. Thanks for becoming an object lesson in teaching respectfulness.

24 comments:

Julie said...

YOU GO GIRL!

We don't have that franchise here or consequently the commercials, but I would be incensed as well.

Julie

Annie Jeffries said...

Thanks Julie. I wondered if Carl's Jr. was national. If nothing else, we all need to pay attention to how we are advertised to especially when the expectation is that we are spending money on our kids.

Mary Timme said...

I don't understand half of the ads on TV today and the ones I do understand are pretty disgusting. I think we should all be 12 year old morons with unlimited buying power and then Madison Ave. wouldn't have to work so. . .hard?!

Annie Jeffries said...

Amen to that Mary.

Kristen Robinson said...

I just do not understand why this type of ting is considered acceptable it is deameaning and horrible.
I do think I will be sending an e-mail as well.

XOX
Kristen

Annie Jeffries said...

Thank you Kristen. Companies pay attention to the letters. I read somewhere that for every ONE letter they receive there is a value of 100 other voices not saying anything. If we don't speak up, this sort of demeaning treatment will just continue.

Anonymous said...

I haven't see this either, but I do unfortunatly see this genre of advertising everywhere I turn around.

good for you to speak out against it!

Jone said...

I totally agree with you and will say something to Carl's Jr.

Anonymous said...

Just another type reason I have not had Television in my home for over 15 years. Television is empty, dangerous and brain washing in it commercials making you all think you need to buy all that junk, comedy shows that poke humor at non humorous subjects, news that is just disgusting and depressing, etc. Television needs to disappear and people need to start using THEIR OWN BRAINS for a while. Bottom line is no one should go to Carls Jr. The food is poison to the heart and soul.

Jacob said...

Thanks for adding to the reasons I will not eat at a Carl's Jr. The reason I already had is based also on their commercial. It's the stupid "plop" of something falling out of a burger when the guy is trying to eat it. I hate that commercial. It sickens me. It is messy. It is a big turn-off. Sloppy, affluent hedonists maw down on something so huge that it wastes itself. Then there is that other commercial where these guys try to sound like they have Philadelphia accents and their mouths are so full you couldn't understand them anyway. That is supposed to be ethnic cute? Or something. Is that one a Carl's Jr. commercial, too? Whatever it is, it sucks.

Thank you, Annie. I will look for the commercial you're talking about and throw up over that one as well. Then I will join you in the email campaign.

Annie Jeffries said...

Stephanie - yes, it's everywhere. I'm tired of it. Will be writing lots of letters.

Thanks Jone for joining the campaign.

Anonymous is smart to not have a TV. Makes childrearing much simpler.

Gawpo - I hate those too. I'm going to start a list. Ugh. Write on, G. and check the website. There is at least a part of the clip there.

Pear tree cottage! said...

Annie while I don't have that advertising down here I truly understand the rubbish they try to push at us here too to get us to buy. Well it does not work for this little chicken, I am turned off the product when they insult our brains like that.

So you go get them tell them what rubbish it is and as my husband says about ad's they can turn you off not turn you onto a product!

Annie Have a lovely day, it leaves here a tiny bit too cold but I am sure it will warm up before it reaches you. :)

Lee-ann

Tammy Brierly said...

You go girl! We have Tivo and skip ALL commercials. I'm thinking it was a great investment. ;)

Anonymous said...

I can see what you mean about the advert - and we have similar things over here, but then again sex sells, as they say, and when they aim *anything* at the younger audience it has to include sex. Such a pity really - because after eating one of those hideously factory-farmed relclaimed-meat products, one definitely wouldn't have a flat bottom.

Well done for writing to them - I hope it gets something done.

*sigh*

Alice Regan said...

I agree! I try to mute all the commercial's if I'm watching TV! I don't like to hear their mumbo-jumbo!

Jacob said...

HEY! This just in: The Plain White Ts are going to play at Stanislaus in a couple weeks. You should go see them. They wrote "Hey There, Delilah."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_m-BjrxmgI

Rethabile said...

Get 'em, Annie. I haven't seen the commercial, but I trust your judgement.

Annie Jeffries said...

I can't believe what I'm reading, Gawpo. Krista just told me about this not 15 minutes ago. I guess I need to follow the link and get up to speed. LOL

Oh yeah, Ret. Nasty commercial. It came on again tonight. We changed the channel.

TMTW said...

AMEN ANNIE!

Janet said...

I have been anti-Carls Jr for quite some time. Most of their commercials are disgusting in one way or another. They seem to advocate sloppy eating habits at the very least. This latest ad is just too much! I'm so glad I'm not the only one who finds it annoying and disgusting. You said it best in your email to them!! I'll add my two cents worth after I leave here.

Annie Jeffries said...

Fabulous, Janet. Several others indicated they would jump on the bandwagon. I hope they dump the thing and get a CLUE. Saw it again last night. I turned the channel.

Julie said...

Good grief, Annie, I was watching tv last night and lo and behold, what did I see but a flat buns ad for Hardee's. Thoroughly disgusting. I am really going to let Hardee's hear about this!

Julie

Beth said...

RIGHT ON ANNIE!!! We don't have Carl JRs here or I would surely not be patronizing them. That is just totally disgusting!!! So glad you sent them that wonderful letter! You go girlfriend!!!
xoxoxoxoxoxoo

Andi said...

Did Carl Jr. respond to your comments?