Essay: The Carl’s Jr. Whoreburger

Lately I’ve been seeing a TV commercial for Carl’s Jr., a popular American fast food chain. In it, a Britney Spears look-a-like who can only be described as “busty” is cavorting in a convertible at drive-in movie. She’s holding a massive burger seductively, biting into it, gazing lovingly at it as burger juice and other schmutz drip onto her chest and dress, which, of course, is a low, low cut mini skirt. Near the end she’s got her legs parted wide open, a Carl’s Jr. bag placed strategically in the middle.

Ostensibly, the ad is for their Classic Jalapeno Southwest Paddy Melt, but they might as well just call it the new Carl’s Jr. “Whoreburger.”

Now, I may be a red-blooded American male, but a more disgusting sight I have not seen in a very long time. This shameless objectification of women as nothing more than sex objects is absolutely repulsive, downright Neanderthal. I have to question the ethics of a company who feel that men’s view of women is still stuck in the Dark Ages. And you don’t have to be Freud to read into the deeper sexual ramifications of a woman eagerly biting into a big hunka meat.

Apparently there has been a slight backlash against this ad, mostly from women’s groups, but from what I read, the commercial spot is a smashing success for them, which means we can count on even more of this type of sickening advertising from them, and I’m sure they have many others just like it on the drawing boards.

I’d like to see the marketing strategy that went into concepting this ignorant commercial. I can see some male ad exec going, “THIS is what men want! Our demographic studies tell us that men want to see women who look like whores, or who might actually be whores! THAT’s what sells burgers.”

And who exactly are these demographic targets, because it certainly isn’t women. Horny 14-to-18 year old boys? Sex starved men who will see this and say, “Let’s head on down to the burger shack where we can party with the hot babes of Carl’s Jr.!” And who is this “actress” who would willingly project such a demeaning portrayal of women? Talk about whoring yourself out!

It always puzzles me as to why corporations stoop to such low-browed tactics, but as someone who works in advertising and marketing, I understand that sex supposedly sells. But in this case, what exactly is it selling, other than the worst crap that you can put in your body?

Beyond this negative portrayal of women, I have to wonder if these fast food execs realize that are greatly contributing to the world’s morbid obesity problem, and as such, are contributing to many deaths through stroke or heart attack. Don’t even get me started on the fact that the burger wrappings, bags, straws, cups and plastic containers will probably wind up in a landfill, where they will remain for the next thousand years.

Perhaps I’m naive in thinking that big companies care about anything other than the financial bottom line. That’s a much broader issue that can be brought up in another discussion. For now, if you eat fast food (and if you do …why?), do the women in your life a big favor and go somewhere, anywhere, other than Carl’s Jr.