Hardee’s Uses ‘Soft Porn’ to Sell Burgers, Moms Cry

I’ve never been a fan of Hardee’s or Carl’s Jr. fast food—but their latest commercials leave a worse taste in my mouth than the greasy burgers.

The fast food chains are airing all-out disgusting ads for the latest product: a Texas BBQ Thickburger. The commercial puts a spotlight on a model’s sweaty chest and offers several suggestive shots of her legs. One Million Moms got it right when they called it “degrading to women” and launched a campaign to have it pulled from the air.

“Not long after One Million Moms contacted the company about its advertisement starring Kate Upton making out with a burger at a drive-in movie wearing only skimpy lingerie, the company aired three different commercials all with the same theme,” One Million Moms writes on its website.

“The restaurant is using sex to sell its burgers with scantily-clad models licking sauce seductively in provocative poses. 1MM has had enough with their soft porn ads! We will politely, but sternly let them know that we are not giving up on protecting our families.”

One Million Moms then offered a review of the restaurants’ consistent use of sex to sell its product: In 2003, Hardee’s (Carl’s Jr.) featured Hugh Hefner as a poster celebrity; Hardee’s used an erotic ad featuring a mechanical bull and a scantily clad female; in 2005, Hardee’s used a pornographic ad with Paris Hilton using sleazy movements to sell burgers; in 2009, Hardee’s featured their new “Biscuit holes.” In the ad, various customers individually name them using such verbiage as B holes, A holes, dingle balls, and biscatles (as in testicles);  and in 2014, Carl’s Jr. has just launched its newest in a series of raunchy sex-laden ads.

One Million Moms is suggesting concerned citizens call owner CKE Restaurant’s consumer relations department at 800-422-4141. Press “0” for the operator and ask for the guest response line, then press 1 for TV ads. Here are some suggested talking points from the moms:

“Your advertising continues to offend me and my family. You have shown no respect for common decency, values or women. If you continue to advertise in this manner and refuse to remove your recent ad, my family will no longer eat in your restaurants. I also plan on telling everyone I know never to visit your restaurant again unless you pull the Texas BBQ Thickburger ad off the air and remove it from your website immediately!

“In the past, your reply has been that men are your target market, but women, especially moms, make the majority of meal decisions. Not to mention a majority of the men you are ‘targeting’ have wives and daughters which they love and respect and are offended by your advertising choice that is degrading to women. These fathers also have sons they do not want exposed to your sexually explicit content that is considered soft porn by many families.”