Sunday, February 25, 2018

14032: Calling Out Carl’s Jr.

Carl’s Jr. recently hired a new White advertising agency, and the new campaign is nauseating on a number of levels. Yes, the over-the-topless sexism prevalent in past work was always inappropriate—and intolerable in today’s society, where inclusive sensitivity especially relating to females is a growing movement. But like other brands undergoing reform (e.g., Axe), the reactive results are generic and contrived, which flies in the face of basic branding objectives for uniqueness and breakthrough. “The Call of Carl’s” feels culturally clueless too, featuring a bug-eyed Black character and urban-vibe voiceover copy. The burger chain has replaced soft porn with food porn—and shifted from White male to White stale.

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