Article
Much ado about ads
Controversial ads can spark QSR sales, increase brand awareness.
December 12, 2007
With about 1.3 million views on YouTube, CKE's "flat buns" television commercial has drawn some serious attention.
But the original spot, in which two male students rap about flat buns while a female teacher dances suggestively on a desk, also sparked complaints from educators, most notably the Tennessee Education Association.
As a brand seeks top-of-mind status among its target audience, it risks offending or alienating other groups. Does such advertising cross a line or is it simply an effective marketing tool?
CKE's ad — which promoted the Patty Melt Burger — sought a target audience of 18- to 34-year old males. Brad Haley, executive vice president of marketing for Carl's Jr. and Hardee's restaurants, said CKE calls this demographic "young, hungry guys," who are the most frequent consumers of fast-food hamburgers.
"As with most of our advertising, the tone was intended to be humorous and irreverent, which are particularly appealing to our 'young, hungry guy' target," he said.
Outside of that target, the ad created a firestorm. According to an Aug. 31 news release posted on the TEA's Web site, association president Dr. Earl Wiman said he received outraged calls and e-mails from teachers, their families and other school officials.
"There are female teachers in high-school classrooms with 30-plus students who are working hard to teach our children so that they can compete in today's world," he said. "It is unbelievably demeaning to every one of them to promote a television advertisement showing a young teacher gyrating on top of her desk while boys in the class rap about her body in order to sell hamburgers!"
After the uproar began, the commercial underwent a change.
"When it became clear that the ad was not being received as it was intended — particularly among educators for whom we have a great deal of respect — we felt that the right thing to do was edit the teacher character out of the ad altogether," Haley said.
Attracting attention
CKE has a history of ad campaigns that stir up conversation and controversy. In 2005, the company created its Spicy Burger commercial, which featured a bikini-clad Paris Hilton and a soaped-up Bentley, drawing cries from parents and television watchdog groups.
Despite — or perhaps because of — the attention surrounding the ads, CKE sales have improved, marked by consecutive periods of same-store sales growth.
"Our sales have been up consistently for many years," Haley said, "which is the ultimate test of whether more people find the ads to be appealing and motivating than not."
Though it worked for CKE, controversy doesn't necessarily spell success in all cases.
Margo Berman, associate professor of advertising and entrepreneurship at Florida International University, said controversial advertising excels in creating buzz.
"This generates more attention, whether it's positive or negative, which increases product or company awareness," she said.
Whether this attention translates into increased sales varies with the advertiser, Berman said. But how it affects the perception of the brand could be even more important than the resulting loss or gain of dollars.
"If the controversy is so offensive it damages the brand image, then the question becomes: Was it worth it? Probably not," Berman said. "If it piqued interest, however, and got people noticing the brand, however racy the images, then it may have added an edge to a brand needing some revitalization."
Ron Gerlach, senior copy director for Cincinnati-based Strata-G Communications, said good advertisers are risk takers.
"They're willing to risk failures for extraordinary success," he said.
When the niche is smaller, Gerlach said — microbrewed beer, for example, or snowboards — a company can afford to take a chance with a more creative message.
"The broader the product, the more likely you will stay very close to the box," he said.
Getting in the mix
Ads not only attract attention outside the walls of a company. Internal controversy can be whipped up when a company takes a campaign in a new direction.
Hamburger chain Wendy's "That's Right" campaign, which features a red-wigged man bucking the trend toward mediocrity, opting instead for a Wendy's burger, is a huge hit with young consumers. According to TiVo Inc. research, one of the spots, titled "Kicking Trees," was the most-watched television ad in June.
| ||||||||||||||||||
But the popular spots have been criticized by the family of the late founder, Dave Thomas. In a September article in The Columbus Dispatch, Thomas' widow, Lorraine Thomas, calls the campaign "absolutely ridiculous."
Despite the turmoil that can be created, fast feeders — especially newcomers facing competition from well-established brands — should consider mixing controversy with their advertising, Gerlach said. Controversy meshes well with the QSR audience, which Gerlach said generally is made up of a younger, hipper crowd.
"By adding controversy to your marketing, you stand out from the crowd and appeal to the rebellious nature of your target audience," he said, "allowing them to feel that your product understands them and how they think, thereby creating a sort of club that they want to be part of."
Just make sure to differentiate your food from the controversy, Gerlach warns.
"No one wants people messing with their food," he said. "The food has to be a hero, with the controversial ad built around it."
