Ad Snacking: Carl's Jr. Rocks A Very "Strong Depiction Of Women In The Workplace"
In case you haven't heard, President Obama found a woman in California extremely attractive this week. The President's statement was about California Attorney General Kamala Harris: "She's brilliant and she's dedicated, she's tough." Then he added, "She also happens to be, by far, the best-looking attorney general in the country." I'm not outraged like all these women groups are. I'm more just jealous the President doesn't say such amazing things about me.
A single little public statement by the world's most important person has ignited a sexism and gender equality firestorm. The talking heads, well, they be talkin'.
But in a masterful move of making people besides Fox News and CNN discuss the President, Obama has fully inserted himself into the top 5 of the water cooler power rankings in a dramatic shakeup. Kudos to entering the discussion out of nowhere and bumping Tyrion Lannister and Kevin Ware's brutal leg break down the Zeitgeistometer:
- Mad Men Premiere
- Obama is sexist, Y/N?
- Where are you going for lunch?
- NCAA
- Game of Thrones
So this week, Ad Snacking is taking up the issues head-on. After a rousing debate at HQ over sexism in the workplace and in popular culture, we decided we had to run this Carl's Jr. ad introducing their brand-new Memphis BBQ Burger. Spoiler alert: it contains suggestive visuals of woman being brilliant, dedicated and tough.
Product: A+
Meaty Enough for a Man, But Made by A Woman
Only a woman would be brilliant enough to put pulled pork on top of a cheeseburger. The dudes in the commercial know it. They are so awed by this miraculous creation they both bust out their phones, zoom in on the burger and immediately Tweet and Instagram the brand-new Memphis BBQ burger. Oh, you think they were taking photos of the glistening bikini-clad women who were feeding each other in slow-mo? I actually didn't notice them until you said something. But I did see that cheeseburger with pulled pork on top, which is why I'm using my Five-Star binder to cover my gigantic food boner.
Message: A+
What's Your Beef?
Look, sex sells. But you know what else sells? Food porn. Comedy. Jingles. Big dance numbers. Celebrity endorsements. You can't ban an add for engaging in a practice that's tried and true. It's a VERY slippery slope once you start banning things. It starts off with banning commercials because they are too suggestive, and next thing you know gay people can't get married! And that would be totally insane and unjustified, right? So just realize if you don't go on YouTube, "like" this commercial and write your senator demanding they allow this to run on every channel in the free world, you are against freedom. Freedom to choose, freedom to live. Freedom for the pursuit of happiness in the form of a cheeseburger topped with barbecued pulled pork.
Creativity: A+
Break the Cycle.
You might say that the women wearing bathing suits is unnecessary, unrealistic and, gasp, sexist. They should be judged in this competition based off the merits of their food, not from their bodies! And you know what? They will be. Food competitions are judged blindly by judges in a different location. These girls are cooking in swimsuits because it's summertime in Memphis, and they are cooking meat over an open flame. By oppressing these woman with aprons and long pants, aren't you just contributing to the much larger problem? It may be tough for you to admit, but Carl's Jr. ads have dedicated themselves to showcasing strong women in extremely flattering light. And to borrow a few words from our President, that's brilliant.
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