Here’s a very expensive television commercial, very “creative,” interesting to look at.
Undoubtedly it will win some awards, which is good for the ad agency that produced it because that will attract more business to that agency.
Only one problem….
“If machines can’t eat it, machines shouldn’t make it.”
Why not?
Is that really a criterion by which you decide whether to eat a chicken sandwich — whether it was breaded by a machine or by a human hand?
They could just as well say, “If machines can’t drive it, machines shouldn’t make it.”
Or, “If machines can’t drink it, machines shouldn’t make it.”
The entire focus of this attention getting, visually interesting campaign is completely unrelated to any real reason that someone should choose a Carl’s Jr. chicken fillet sandwich over that of any competitor.
Yeah, it’ll win awards. Ad agencies fall all over themselves praising their own work for being “creative.”
But it’s very unlikely that seeing the sandwich smash into the robot’s mouth made you want to eat a Carl’s Jr. chicken fillet sandwich.
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I somewhat disagree. I find it to be quirky and somewhat attention grabbing. It also makes a good point- I would rather wear a suit made by a tailor, not from a factory pattern, drive a Lamborghini (which are each made by hand) rather than a production line econo-box, and I would certainly prefer a meal from a 5-star chef over a machine processed and packaged heat and eat microwave dinner! Note how they didn’t use “perceived price” as a selling point…but rather “perceived quality.” Well played, IMHO.
In general, advertisers seem to be shying away from “creative” and “exciting”, and heading more toward what they consider to be “tried and true”, which turns out to be either boring or insultingly pedantic toward the listener.
What is it you always complain about advertisers saying? “I tried radio…it didn’t work.” *sigh*
No, seeing the robot smash it into its face isn’t what makes me want to try the sandwich…but what DOES make me want to try it is knowing it isn’t just another average machine processed piece of shi…cken.
I think that was exactly the point Johnny. It’s not manufactured by a machine, give it a try. It was not yelling at you to do it, it wasn’t calling you to action to try it, it was doing it in a creative way to hook you into the tag message. That’s a typical agency style. Make you think “WTF” for the bulk of the spot, then tag it was the message that relates. This is far more common in TV then radio because of the power of the visual over the audio medium.
Anyone see the latest DQ spot with Mary Lou Retton popping out of a pinata? great creative. Does it sell stuff? hard to say, but it gets you talking about the brand.
I would also agree with the above posters. Have you seen the videos floating around the internet lately Dan, showing the long, pink, paste-like, python sized bands of machine processed chicken slurry that make up mass marketed chicken nuggets and patties? I’m guessing the marketing folks for Carl’s Jr. have, and they know that I have and that a sizeable portion of Carl’s Jr’s potential customers have as well. They are capitalizing on the appeal of a hand processed chicken product in a creative and entertaining way. I’d say it’s a success.
Doesn’t this company have a history of odd-ball advertising? Weren’t they the one that did the ad with Paris Hilton wearing a bikini in a car wash eating a burger?? I’ve never been to a Carl’s…we have none in my part of the USA…but if their intent is to make a poke at the assembly line nature of other fast food places, I’m willing to bet that a Carl’s kitchen is the same as that of any other fast food joint. So I tend to be in your corner on this one.
Hardee’s is owned by the same folks that own Carl’s, and they’re running this same ad. I disagree with your assertion that it doesn’t sell. “handbreaded” implies it was created fresh today, as opposed to the chicken wads you get at McDonald’s. Although I may have to ask them if that’s what they do. There’s a Hardee’s right around the corner from me. I like their cheeseburgers. And I have the cholrestoral count to prove it.
But at least the slogan is motivational: “Just the way it is.”
I don’t get the ad. It doesn’t want to make me try the sandwich. Different strokes, perhaps. I do like the slogan, though.
I haven’t dined at Carl’s Jr. for at least a dozen years, because their advertising campaigns are so repulsive.
I like the spot. Really feel sorry for the robot…and I don’t eat meat.
You either love them or hate them but you know the spots have gone through focus groups so someone liked them
@Robert: It can be hand breaded and frozen. If it truly were “hand breaded immediately before it was cooked,” that would be a strong selling point.
But the fact that they don’t tell you it’s fresh, not frozen, suggests either:
A) It’s frozen
B) The ad agency didn’t think to mention it.
Carl’s Jr. founded 1941
McDonald’s founded 1940
Carl’s Jr. number of locations: 1200+
McDonald’s number of locations: 32,000+
Is the food quality of Carl’s Jr. better than McDonald’s? I don’t doubt it (I live in the Midwest and have never even seen a Carl’s Jr. so I can’t say from personal experience). But you can’t argue with the numbers. And McDonald’s advertising doesn’t seem to strive for award-winning creativity. Their ads are typically focused on a particular menu item and price point driven (49-cent ice cream cone…Any size soft drink for $1.00…20 McNuggets for $4.99).
What it boils down to is that the most successful businesses appeal to the mainstream, and mainstream consumers care more about lower price than higher quality, and that’s “just the way it is.” (Why do you think Wal-Mart is so successful? And I’m not a fan of Wal-Mart – I avoid the place like the plague. But they’re not the retail giant they are for no reason).
Also, many people who would prefer to go for the higher quality simply don’t have the budget for it. Who wouldn’t like to wear tailor-made clothing, drive hand-made high-end vehicles, and dine at 5-star restaurants? But how many can afford it?
Not that Carl’s Jr. should try to be more like McDonald’s. 1200+ locations is still a great success story, and I imagine they do very well with their niche crowd who prefers a higher quality fast-food experience and is willing to spend the extra cash for it. But if I hear about a new restaurant called Carl’s Jr. opening up in my town (it would be new to me) and I see that robot commercial, I’m not compelled to give ’em a try. The ad did grab my attention and I would sit through it without clicking my remote (at least, the first time through). But, as Dan pointed out, Carl’s Jr. isn’t giving me any real reason to choose their sandwich over a competitor’s. Of course, I don’t care if the chicken is “hand-breaded.” But that’s just me.
Great discussion guys… I can agree with both points. The spot is very attention grabbing in nature and demands the attention of the viewer. But the question remains, though the Ad Agency might walk away with awards at the end of the year, does that immediately relate to an increase to the client’s bottom line?