Carl's Jr. and Matthew McConaughey Skip the Sex Appeal and Go Straight to the Bacon in New Ads

As if it weren't clear that burger chain Carl's Jr. was pivoting away from the over-the-top sexuality that defined the brand for years, the first campaign from its new agency of record reinforces that. Havas focuses on the bacon, with help from the voice of Matthew McConaughey, he of the reflective car ads and fireside bourbon sessions. A series of ads promoting the new Western Bacon Cheeseburger embraces the rapid fire, GIF-like style common to late-night programming such as Adult Swim. McConaughey's wordplay only adds to the sensory onslaught. [kickout id="1"] Note the focus on oozing sauces and melting cheese as the brand appeals to an audience that might just happen to be under the influence. [kickout id="2"] [kickout id="3"] The new ads mark a major departure from the sexualized spots that made Carl's Jr. famous and last year's attempt by former agency of record 72andSunny to refocus on the brand itself by creating a backstory about fictional founder Carl Hardee Sr. According to Jeff Jenkins, chief marketing officer at parent company CKE Restaurants, the new effort seeks to maintain the chain's reputation as "a brand that’s impossible to ignore" by focusing on the food while aiming to establish a "crave culture." He also plans to develop a more distinctive identity for Carl's Jr.'s sister brand, Hardee's. CKE, like many other brands, has opted to move away from big broadcast spots in favor of more digital-first and social-friendly content created by smaller teams on tighter deadlines. Havas chairman and chief creative officer Jason Peterson sums up the "do more faster" approach as such: "The speed of marketing today is leaving brands and traditional agencies behind. By shifting both our thinking and making from ‘creatives’ to ‘creators,’ we’re able to come up with culturally relevant ideas, and create and execute them with immediacy." The agency's Chicago headquarters recently won a review that launched last October, about a year after 72andSunny parted with the creative team of Justin Hooper and Mick DiMaria, and the brand indicated that it would move in a dramatically different direction. The creative duo had led the Carl's Jr. work for years at 72andSunny and the now-shuttered Mendelsohn Zien. CREDITS Agency: Havas Chicago Client: CKE Restaurants, Carl’s Jr. Campaign: The Call Of Carl’s Chief Marketing Officer: Jeff Jenkins Sr. Director Brand Marketing: Harry Mulkey Director of Digital Marketing: Meredith Martin Chairman and Chief Creative Officer: Jason Peterson Chairman and Chief Executive Officer: Paul Marobella President and Chief Client Officer: Tatia Torrey Chief Strategy Officer: Anna Parker Head of Content, North America: Dave Evans Group Brand Director: Mariana Parke Director of Business Affairs: Bonnie Hamilton Group Creative Directors: Karen Goodman, Benny Jackson Creative Director: Danny Mota Copywriter: Daniel Cobb Copywriter: Sandy Sarria Aldrey Art Director: Jonathan Chang Strategy Director: Jon Schultz Executive Producer: Brigette Whisnat Executive Producer: Peter Feldman Content Producer: Bridget Danko Group Account Director: Jenny Bennett Account Director: Lisa Sokolnicki Production: Taste Director: Thomas Schauer Executive Producer / Partner: Tim Case Executive Producer: Becky Donahue Head of Production: Marieta Blaskova Line Producer: Nina Sloan Executive Producer: Marieta Blaskova DP: Thomas Schauer Post Production: ODD Editor: Neil Gust Asst. Editor: Chelsea Smith Producer: Nakia Cooper EP: Matthew Turke Graphics: ODD Creative Director: Gary Breslin Color: The Mill Colorist: Fergus McCall