Carl’s Jr. recently caused a controversy with its TV commercial about a pattymelt burger on flat buns. The ad shown here depicts an attractive, young, sexy, female high school teacher who, during the course of the commercial, gets on top of her desk and slaps her derriere while the teenage boys in her class look on with admiration as she writhes to the lyrics of a rap song called “I Like Flat Buns.” After complaints from all over the nation, Carl’s Jr. had the teacher removed from the commercial. One of the local newspapers got a variety of opinions about the original commercial in their “Letters to the Editor.”
Here are some excerpts from the letters.
From a “43-year-old, flat-bunned Republican woman with two teenage children“: I thought it…hilarious. It was….harmless little commercial…poking fun at our society’s obsession with sexuality.
From another adult: It was funny…hip-hop song was great.
From a high school girl: I didn’t find the ad…inappropriate. Funny…catchy.
From a older woman: Carl’s Jr. is trying to appeal to a younger age group, but how about appealing to a sense of decency.
From a man: Carl’s management …juvenile idiots. Actions…counterproductive…offending some potential market segments.
From a woman: Do I like the ad? No. Did it get us to talk? Yes. Job well done.
From a woman: …appeal to the lowest common denominator of human life!
From a mother and grandmother: …ad is offensive and irresponsible.
From a man: Viagra and Cialis ones that run during daytime NFL games are worse. …9-year old inundated with “consult your doctor to ensure you’re healthy enough for sexual activity.”
From a woman: …(should) change focus from sex to food…low regard for women.
From a man: …no one got it. It’s a parody…of pop culture, of MTV, MTV2, VH1, BET…
If you had written a letter to the editor of a newspaper, what are some of the words and phrases you would have used?
Do you consider this commercial an insult to the teaching profession?
In view of the recent accounts of young female teachers having a sexual relationship with their male students, do you think this commercial was a wise one to air?
What are your views toward those individuals responsible for producing this commercial?
Whit - well I never saw the commercial; I watch almost nil tv; late evening news most evenings is the extent of it. But on there they have those viagra commercials - and some of the things they say on those are like 'duh!' My general thought on it however is that I am not surprised; whether in good taste or poor taste; repulsive or entertaining - now days I find that few people care as they call it the right to say and do what they think and no one should be offended because we have the rights in this country to do as we want - it is called liberty /freedom. To me the definition of freedom also includes how we affect those around us with our words and actions; if we are not responsible we will lose our freedom. This is a big subject but hopefully you know what I mean. Take care Whit - June
by Praywithhope (PM , CC ) on Wednesday September 26, 2007 @ 3:07 PM
my view? silly commercial but no biggie...you know that Aspercream commercial...i guess they had to change that commercial...coz of complaints...it used to say, "you bet your Asspercream"....now it says, "you bet it is your Asprecream"....or something like that....i don't know....some things are funny...but sometimes i see ads and do a double take...
by purplefly (PM , CC ) on Wednesday September 26, 2007 @ 3:12 PM
as a former creative director, responsible for several national accounts, i can assure you that their demographic audience loves this commercial.
my team pitched exlax one time, the tag line we propsed was we're number 1 for number 2. they thought it was great but, it never saw the light of day. we got the account but had to come up with a new concept, for the american market but not for europe, where we went with the originial concept and it was their most successful campaign up until that point.
i would be willing to wager that the women who complained and took the time write and express their displeasure are really upset more by the fact that "flat buns" is not a phrase commonly associated with them.
Shows me that society is coming to accept teachers and students having the hots for each other..Although- i think it's wrong for teachers to date students..how can they have a commecial about this..and put teachers in jail for it in real life?
by River Rat (PM , CC ) on Wednesday September 26, 2007 @ 8:03 PM
Whit...just another thought....Remember Abe Begotta and the Alka Seltzer commercial he was sitting on the side of the bed (and his wife laying on the other side of the bed) and he was saying....... "I can't believe I ate the whole thing".....then she rolls over and says..."yes Ralph..you ate the whole thing..now go to bed"...
It was probably the funniest commercial I have ever seen..and there was no uproar or outcry about decency or moral degradation or sexist innuendo. Why ... because we all knew it was a commercial and we were at that time able to laugh at ourselves and and society in general was not so damn uptight and afraid of everybody and everything.....What the hell have we become ??????? Whatever it is.. I don't think I like it or approve of it !!!!!! OK..that's my 2 cents worth....do I get change back ????
Hello Whit, I didn't see the ad and glad I didn't. Some said no big deal? I am an educator, still. Although I retired last year, I am still subbing, so around the kids a lot. I think it is irresponsible to put on tv, not only these ads that are inappropriate, but the tv shows themselves. The things these kids see on tv are being absorbed by their brains, and the negative things they see and hear adults doing and saying are just telling the kids, "It's okay to do and say these things also." Karen
by Desari (PM , CC ) on Wednesday September 26, 2007 @ 11:04 PM
Praywithhope:
June,
You are right, of course. You can’t have one without the other. With choice comes the responsibility for the outcome of that choice. If you do not want the responsibility then you must also surrender the choice. With freedom comes responsibility. That is what that phrase means. It doesn’t mean that society has more responsibility. It means that the person who chooses to exercise that greater freedom has greater responsibilities.
I think the Carl Jr. commericial that was the worst - (and all of them are bad) was the one showing a guy wanting "something hot and juicie" and he is eating a Carl's burger - then a "hot" looking babe in a car comes by and they keep saying "hot and juicie" and he throws down the burger and climbs into the car and they leave - Wow !!!
Even he took her over the burger - insulting everything including their product - YUK at it's highest
Never saw the ad - but then I am not someone to ask about TV commercials I watch so little TV!
This is obviously not Carl Kracher's Carl's Jr - Carl was too a classy a guy to let ads like this on - the new generation is running the ship apparently.
by AZRON (PM , CC ) on Thursday September 27, 2007 @ 10:44 AM
Whit, I didn't see the commercial. Dang it.. Of course I DO live in " the Bible belt" and the powers that be think that we shouldn't see anything the least bit racy.( heavy on sarcasm). maybe I can catch it on Youtube? Take care friend.
Whit Commercials are the best in propaganda. They are designed address the inner fears and desires of the consumer. The commerical is designed with several subtexts. No large corporate mega business is going to throw a commerical together willy nilly. Every image in a commerical has been thought out, the lighting, colors, clothes and so on. I watched the Caveman commericals and was amazed at the subtle craft of adressing the unconsious mind of the viewer.
by capananda (PM , CC ) on Thursday September 27, 2007 @ 11:33 AM
I haven't seen the commercial until you posted it but I guess I don't see a huge deal here.......and I have been an educator. It's like everything else.....because we are filled with diversity, some will find it repulsive, others will enjoy it thoroughly and the spectrum will fill itself in as it always does. If our "freedom of speech" is taken away from us as well as the other things that are dwindling quickly........what then???? As far as "promoting relationships between teachers and students", those relationships have been going on forever.......doesn't mean it's right or wrong, just that it's there whether we choose to look at it or not.
by Celtic Mist (PM , CC ) on Thursday September 27, 2007 @ 12:54 PM
Whit, all I can say is . . . well this secnario is what every junior high male student thought of at one time. Mine was my english teacher in 8th grade.
And the glasses were a nice touch. I've always though that glasses on women are attractive.
And I just can't get offended anymore. I dunno why. And what's funny to me about situations like this is, the more it's talked about, the more coverage it gets. And that's why they make these commericals like this, so that they can get exposure. I mean it's not like this commerical is going to get me to stop going to Carl's Jr when I want a burger.
I feel like I do, after I watched "The Last Temptation of Christ" . . . so we're offended by what? I thought I was a good movie and couldn't see why it was offensive.
It also reminds me of the simpsons episode where the giant advertisments were running amok in Springfield. And the manager of the ad agency that made them told Lisa and Bart that if people stopped paying attention to them, they will go away. And it worked, with a jingle sung by Paul Anka. I think that's why I just find the "uproars" counter-productive.
What you say is true. I remember a sexy, young female teacher I had in 11th grade. She had a nice patootie, which my hormones couldn't help but notice when she was at the chalkboard.
As you know, all three of my biological children are teachers. They all teach high school. Two teach Social Studies and one teaches Calculus. Two are female and quite pretty. In fact, my oldest daughter, is tall and very thin. She has bone structure to die for and is called "The Teacher Who Is The French Model" by the boys who are in her class.
Not to sound arrogant, but she is much more attractive than the babe in the commercial.
As a result, she takes professionalism to a new level in her dealings with all students and never gives ANY sign that she is even HALF-way interested in them "that" way.
It is my opinion, especially in light of the current trend of some middle and high school teachers to have sex with their students, that this commercial was exTREMELY irresponsible.
Many students get crushes on their teachers at times. I know I thought my male student teacher in fourth grade was 'hot', even though we didn't use that word back then, and there was a teacher in my high school, while I never had him myself because he taught business classes and I didn't take those, I was so enamored whenever I was near to him that I couldn't even speak. My words came out all in a jumble. A crush is different from what's going on now though. I'm glad I've never seen that commercial. It makes me glad that my sons are done with high school but it makes me worry for my grandson who just started Kindergarten this month. Maybe I can convince my daughter the Math teacher to homeschool him.
You are right about the difference between an innocent crush that a student has on a teacher and what is going on in that commercial. It must be difficult enough to keep students interested in learning without having sex enter the picture.
Whit, I love the commercial. It plays upon the little things young people, especially boys, think about. It's funny how those female teacher-having-sex scandals were reversed when it was a boy who received that teacher's gifts. A male teacher is fired, and thrown in jail immediately! But these lucky young guys are kings for it! And that came about before the commercial did. The commercial won't cause it, it will shed light on it! My two cents worth, Joe
Is there a racial element here? White boys rapping about flat buns...black boyz extolling large voluptuous bootys? As far as the teacher-student implications, could our educational system be any more dysfunctional?
Whit, Not a whit!! Capitalism seeks only to pad its "bottom" line. There is no concern for social responsibility, and the destruction of our economy by the globalization of corporations is the bitter fruit of our collective incuriousness.
by Toadie (PM , CC ) on Thursday September 27, 2007 @ 4:15 PM
Whit:
Flat buns have been getting a bad rap for years...If we manage to do away with tastless humor, I fear anal retention will surge to all time highs...guess what "We Live In America", we are nuts and the rest of the world knows it but I'll bet we laugh more than most countries. Pop'
by lalepop' (PM , CC ) on Thursday September 27, 2007 @ 4:44 PM
It would be great in some venues, but not general television. It's way too sexual. The average person can't take it. Makes them think naughty. Remember that old Christian saying: If you think it, you might as well be doing it. I'd have shown an old man standing there, without a butt, which many of us have lost. Seems to slide forward into your belly. Anyway, we're kings of the flat buns. And that's why I'm not in advertising.
by The Peever (PM , CC ) on Thursday September 27, 2007 @ 5:06 PM
Toadie:
This comment was posted on "Mother Jones" by Nathan Simonsen on August 29, 2007. I thought you might find it of interest.
(Many) of the problems in the US today can be firmly placed on the shoulders of those who believe in and enforce Capitalism over and above everything else. The US is not a Democracy, it’s a Republic. Actually read the Constitution and you will not see Democracy in it. Almost no one referred to the US as a Democracy until the late 1800’s early 1900’s, and then it was done so for political reasons, not factual. We were founded and created as a Republic. [Machiavelli wrote that a Republic is just another form of Dictatorship. ] It wasn’t until the late 60’s early 70’s that the capitalistic dribble started to surge and work its way into the political main stream. And even now, what is called Capitalism in the US is not capitalism in the true sense.
Those who champion capitalism , like Ayn Rand, who’s novels “Fountain Head” and “Atlas Shrugged” most likely helped launch the US down the road to capitalism by influencing college students then, and still today, wanted a totally free, unrestricted capitalistic world. Sink or swim on your own. You could put arsenic in toys if you wanted, no one would stop you except the market. If the consumer didn’t mind that their children dropped dead like flies, then the company would thrive. If they did care, the company would fall. No outside influence at all.
The Quasi capitalistic society we have now is that those with the wealth and power get to conduct business unrestricted when compared to those of the past 40 years or so. They are usually against not only government interference into business , they are against government being an instrument of social responsibilities like welfare and social security. Or that is what they openly say. But when a businesses revenue falls due to arsenic in toys, illegal actions or another businesses ability to out perform their own production, it is those same capitalists who are banging on the doors of Congress with their hands out. Wanting laws to protect them, government hand outs for everything from farm substitutes for corporate farms and taxpayer money so McDonalds can promote their products overseas to policies that prevent them from ever closing down or being held responsible for their actions.
Did you know that Home Depot is specifically mentioned as not having to pay import taxes on ceiling fans, in a law that taxes those same fans for others? Or that certain drug manufactures can't be held liable for over a certain dollar amount, I think its $250,000 if a life is lost due to its product? And many times the laws are not enforced equally. Where one person is liable, a corporation may not be because they claim many jobs could be lost. But that same company will then move jobs off shore to save money.
Capitalism has created a short and unsustainable growth spurt of entrepreneurs and has made corporations wealthy beyond their wildest dreams. Its also caused the loss of millions of jobs, billions in lost income due to lower wages, loss of health care and benefits for families of workers. An overwhelming influence of a few in how laws and policies are created by our lawmakers. Lowered safety standards, lower environmental standards, lower educational standards, more poor and a greater division of wealth and societal divide than ever before. CEO's are making over 320 times the average wage earners salary, with benefits packages as well as golden parachutes most wage earners can not even fathom.
There is a saying “United we stand, divided we fall” and capitalism as it is in the United States today has done more to make the US fall in ever way, that once made us a superpower. We no longer are producers of products the world wants. We no longer are the idolized innovators. If the US was cut off from the rest of the world, we couldn’t even make our own shoes anymore. Due to capitalistic urge to find the lowest wages, and lowest regulations, they have caused the us to to a total shift from the greatest, to a North America super mall who is its own customers. We sell services and foreign goods, to ourselves. We now have to have the lowest prices because the majority don’t make enough money to buy more costly goods.
Capitalists are the “What's in it for me” mentality rather than “ for the greater good” mentality that made the US strong. I can not imagine any corporation today turning their auto manufacturing plant into a tank building plant because the government ask them to just for the greater good. It would take hundreds of billions of dollars and long term promises to get them to even consider it. And even at that, the corporation wouldn’t keep their promise. I have nothing against corporations making profits, and the strong survive in business. I think people who work hard, or just get lucky, should be entitled if they get rich, to do what they want, within reason though, and if a fair way. A corporation shouldn’t be treated as an individual when it comes to political campaign donations and political influences, but not treated as an individual when it comes to taxes and litigation. Or corporations who get government handouts of billions of dollars each year while they challenge the same thing for non-wealthy Americans. And the fact that someone with wealth, corporate or individual, has more influence on political lawmakers than others, is just wrong.
Almost all of the media that US public gets is owned by as few as six corporations. Those same corporations wield an enormous amount of influence on our world today. The President, Congress, Governors , state lawmakers and even the FCC have allowed many of these corporations , and others, to actually write the laws and regulations they have passed and are supposed to enforce. Does any of this sound like its in the best interest of our nation as a whole? I for one do not think so.
Love that sagacious Mother Jones. I concur with every point the article makes. For years I have railed against unregulated capitalism. Capitalism has nothing to do with Democracy, in fact, it assures that Democracy cannot flourish. We have lost our way, Whit, and I fear we shall never be able to put Humpty back together again. The pigs have won while the sheep slept their deep sleep of indifference. We care, as a nation , what Lohan and Jesus would do more than we care what we as individuals should think and do. Lost in the culture of celebrity, we have no viable social fabric with which to identify. This pitiful religious revival is a pathetic lurch toward a moral center that we abdicated decades ago.
by Toadie (PM , CC ) on Thursday September 27, 2007 @ 5:31 PM
Whit:
FYI I was being sarcastic but it's surprising how close to the truth it is .... I'm through "Wailing against the machine"...."There shall be a waling and gnashing of the teeth"...it's all just a sign of the times...without the political will, which is geared to the buck...and we already know that, I prefer to focus on indiscriminate KILLING, not the impact of flat buns at a local Burger joint...please...intelligent folks already know what going on but intelligence doesn't equate with power! I'm looking' to see the list of solutions myself...condemnation all day long will get no one anywhere fast but give invaluable exposure to that railed against. Of course, I agree with Toadie in that run away capitalism is the problem but it's more than a governmental approach...it's a mind set! At this point, unfortunately, I think we will be forced to see the scene where "Melt to Glass" happens. I've mentioned on several occasions about the power of the boycott which is the only defense against runaway Capatialism by the common man but the common man is too busy trying to feed his family to even think, solution.... Pop'
I know you were being sarcastic, and there is an element of truth in your sarcasm. You are correct in stating that ultimately the change must come about as the result of altering the mindset of the people.
When I do watch TV I always mute the commercials and don't watch them...I got in the habit when my kids were little and I didn't want them to be exposed to constant marketing messages...
I don't care for this commercial...It's targeting teens and sending the wrong message...but I'm not crazy about commercials in general so go figure..
I do think that targeting children (teens) to sell cigarettes and alcohol has been banned or abandoned...Apparently sex sells..I'm just not sure Carl Jrs is really selling hamburgers.
by Coloconnect (PM , CC ) on Thursday September 27, 2007 @ 7:38 PM
I am glad you added the video. I stopped by earlier, but I hadn't seen it so I was gonna go to youtube, but... So I don't watch that much tv, nor do my kids. Honestly, I don't think it's worse than a lot of accepted media that's out there. I mean we are gonna get upset about this on a serious national level, but it's okay that the media promotes all kinds of other weird ideas.
The whole idea of a commercial is that people remember the product. It doesn't matter whether you liked, or hated, the commercial. Some are classics, some are vile, most are just stupid. But you will remember this one.
As far as censorship goes, the best censor is your channel selector. If you don't want to see something, change the channel. Or do as you do and put the sound on mute and don't watch the commercial.
If you think US commercials are in bad taste, you would have a heart attack watching the European commercials. They are filled with nudity, simulated sex, and gross language; and most Europeans love it.
I have to admit I was shocked the first time I saw this commercial. I think it was totally inappropriate for them to air it. Sometimes I am amazed by what the "creative" advertising people think is a good idea. I think some of them need to go back to school or relocate their moral compass.
Wasn't Carl's Juniors the one that had Paris Hilton in it? You are absolutely correct Whit, that the purpose is to get people to remember the product. One of the first things taught in advertising 101. Anyway, this is much milder than some of the music videos out there, and this will have a much shorter run. Commercials such as this one are repeated frequently at first, then another comes out in order to keep the message from becoming stale. Have you ever heard of a "roadblock" in TV advertising? It's when the same commercial runs at EXACTLY the same time on all three(or more) major networks. One can see these quite often at the top or the bottom of any given hour. Very effective. I love advertising, by the way. Print, radio, TV, I watch and read them all. Internet ads though are another story. They clutter up the page so much oftentimes that they lose effectiveness. Never pay good $$ for an internet ad. Good Post.
by Squash4brains (PM , CC ) on Thursday September 27, 2007 @ 10:50 PM
Squash:
Ed,
Sometimes, if you click rapidly between channels that are running the same commercials at approximately the same time, one or more of them will be slightly ahead or behind the other ones.
Living in Carl Jr's territory has given me the opportunity to watch all of the commercials placed in the college football and NHL events I enjoy watching on the telly vision, Whit.
The commercials are juvenile, degrading at times and many like "Flat Buns" are funny. I laughed at the lyrics because I took it as a parody and was also amazed to see it on a broadcast network. Nothing surprises me off the satellite anymore....
As for the teacher-student angle, it was celebrated in the mid-80's in the video "Hot For Teacher" by Van Halen. It was meant as a joke and was taken that way. It was not on broadcast television, just cable.
I think Flat Buns was meant as a goof. Was it in questionable taste?
Oh yes.
Appropriate for over the air free TV?
I would air it after 10PM if I ran a broadcast TV station or network.
by Prank (PM , CC ) on Friday September 28, 2007 @ 2:15 AM
Whit -------- never saw the commercial -- thanks for bringing it to my attention..
can't say that it offends me nor do I find it does anything to the teaching profession and I have a son and two daughter in laws who are teachers. I will check with them and get their reaction and get back to you.
by icemelts (PM , CC ) on Friday September 28, 2007 @ 8:30 AM
Prank:
Thanks for bringing up Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher." I think that my readers will see some parallels between this production and the commercial.
Hot for Teacher Lyrics
Oh wow, man ! Wait a second man. whaddaya think the teachers gonna look like this year ? My butt, man ! T-t-teacher stop that screaming, teacher dont you see ? Don't wanna be no uptown fool. Maybe I should go to hell, but Im doin' well, Teacher needs to see me after school. Chorus: I think of all the education that I missed. But then my homework was never quite like this. Got it bad, got it bad, got it bad, I'm hot for teacher. I got it bad, so bad, I'm hot for teacher. Spoken: Hey, I heard you missed us, were back ! I brought my pencil Gimme something to write on, man I heard about your lessons, but lessons are so cold. I know about this school. Little girl from cherry lane, how did you get so bold ? How did you know that golden rule ? Chorus (guitar solo) Oh man, I think the clock is slow I don't feel tardy Class dismissed
As a mother of a son that was having an affair with one of his teachers, even though I did not see the commercial I know I would not find humor in it. But have a great weekend anyway
Haven't seen the commercials on television, but watched the videos and actually thought the one with the teacher was funny. Paris Hilton on the other hand...
Ah, maybe I'm just too old and tired to try to change the direction of our culture. I've certainly seen worse commercials than the "flat buns" one. We have live models on t.v. selling products designed to "enhance" the body parts they cover. It's hard for me to believe the "buns" commercial is going to corrupt young people, with all the things they already have to look at and listen to, but I don't have kids in school either so what do I know.
Is it right or wrong, in spite of the direction our culture is moving in? I'm going to withhold judgment, and just say - it just is the way it is.
regardless of the class/no class status of burger commercials, they still will never entice me to want or eat one. I enjoy a good laugh, and this commercial left me dazed and amused...but not wanting to comsume the product they were selling(or any greasy unreasonable facsimilies, thereof) as I value my health far too much to indulge in red meat fast food on white flour buns regardless of the size of said buns. Or the burger, for that matter...more power to those that sell to the obese Americana...if they have yet to wise up & eat healthy, then it matters not the method of the producer's madness...but that's just me(who hasn't eaten beef in >20 years talking)...
To me the definition of freedom also includes how we affect those around us with our words and actions; if we are not responsible we will lose our freedom. This is a big subject but hopefully you know what I mean.
Take care Whit - June
that Aspercream commercial...i guess they had to
change that commercial...coz of complaints...it used
to say, "you bet your Asspercream"....now it says,
"you bet it is your Asprecream"....or something like
that....i don't know....some things are funny...but
sometimes i see ads and do a double take...
my team pitched exlax one time, the tag line we propsed was we're number 1 for number 2. they thought it was great but, it never saw the light of day. we got the account but had to come up with a new concept, for the american market but not for europe, where we went with the originial concept and it was their most successful campaign up until that point.
i would be willing to wager that the women who complained and took the time write and express their displeasure are really upset more by the fact that "flat buns" is not a phrase commonly associated with them.
wingfire
"I can't believe I ate the whole thing".....then she rolls over and says..."yes Ralph..you ate the whole thing..now go to bed"...
It was probably the funniest commercial I have ever seen..and there was no uproar or outcry about decency or moral degradation or sexist innuendo. Why ... because we all knew it was a commercial and we
were at that time able to laugh at ourselves and and society in general was not so damn uptight and afraid of everybody and everything.....What the hell have we become ??????? Whatever it is..
I don't think I like it or approve of it !!!!!! OK..that's my 2 cents worth....do I get change back ????
June,
You are right, of course. You can’t have one without the other. With choice comes the responsibility for the outcome of that choice. If you do not want the responsibility then you must also surrender the choice. With freedom comes responsibility. That is what that phrase means. It doesn’t mean that society has more responsibility. It means that the person who chooses to exercise that greater freedom has greater responsibilities.
That was a kind of innocent play on words. No big problem there.
How about "Up tight? Relax with Ex-lax"? No.
Gosh, I wonder why?
You have posed an interesting and thoughtful question.
Most Americans probably didn't think of the commercial in that light. You get one penny back.
Karen,
Thanks for expressing the view of an educator.
Tasteless? About as tasteless as Paris Hilton eating a six-dollar burger from Carl's Jr.
I think the Carl Jr. commericial that was the worst - (and all of them are bad) was the one showing a guy wanting "something hot and juicie" and he is eating a Carl's burger - then a "hot" looking babe in a car comes by and they keep saying "hot and juicie" and he throws down the burger and climbs into the car and they leave - Wow !!!
Even he took her over the burger - insulting everything including their product - YUK at it's highest
I think what they were saying was that the only thing better than a hot, juicy burger from Carl's Jr. is a hot, juicy babe.
This is obviously not Carl Kracher's Carl's Jr - Carl was too a classy a guy to let ads like this on - the new generation is running the ship apparently.
Paris Hilton's Extended Car Wash
Posted May 24, 2005Paris is twice as nice in this extended remix of the controversial Carl's Jr. ad.
You can say that again.
For you and the others in the Bible Belt, I have posted Paris Hilton eating a $6 burger from Carl's Jr.
Commercials are the best in propaganda. They are designed address the inner fears and desires of the consumer. The commerical is designed with several subtexts. No large corporate mega business is going to throw a commerical together willy nilly. Every image in a commerical has been thought out, the lighting, colors, clothes and so on.
I watched the Caveman commericals and was amazed at the subtle craft of adressing the unconsious mind of the viewer.
luvya, cm
And the glasses were a nice touch. I've always though that glasses on women are attractive.
And I just can't get offended anymore. I dunno why. And what's funny to me about situations like this is, the more it's talked about, the more coverage it gets. And that's why they make these commericals like this, so that they can get exposure. I mean it's not like this commerical is going to get me to stop going to Carl's Jr when I want a burger.
I feel like I do, after I watched "The Last Temptation of Christ" . . . so we're offended by what? I thought I was a good movie and couldn't see why it was offensive.
It also reminds me of the simpsons episode where the giant advertisments were running amok in Springfield. And the manager of the ad agency that made them told Lisa and Bart that if people stopped paying attention to them, they will go away. And it worked, with a jingle sung by Paul Anka. I think that's why I just find the "uproars" counter-productive.
As always a good post Whit.
You are right. Here is a carefully-crafted commercial with many subliminal messages:
I thank you, as an educator, for bringing your perspective to my post.
What you say is true. I remember a sexy, young female teacher I had in 11th grade. She had a nice patootie, which my hormones couldn't help but notice when she was at the chalkboard.
As you know, all three of my biological children are teachers. They all teach high school. Two teach Social Studies and one teaches Calculus. Two are female and quite pretty. In fact, my oldest daughter, is tall and very thin. She has bone structure to die for and is called "The Teacher Who Is The French Model" by the boys who are in her class.
Not to sound arrogant, but she is much more attractive than the babe in the commercial.
As a result, she takes professionalism to a new level in her dealings with all students and never gives ANY sign that she is even HALF-way interested in them "that" way.
It is my opinion, especially in light of the current trend of some middle and high school teachers to have sex with their students, that this commercial was exTREMELY irresponsible.
Many students get crushes on their teachers at times. I know I thought my male student teacher in fourth grade was 'hot', even though we didn't use that word back then, and there was a teacher in my high school, while I never had him myself because he taught business classes and I didn't take those, I was so enamored whenever I was near to him that I couldn't even speak. My words came out all in a jumble. A crush is different from what's going on now though. I'm glad I've never seen that commercial. It makes me glad that my sons are done with high school but it makes me worry for my grandson who just started Kindergarten this month. Maybe I can convince my daughter the Math teacher to homeschool him.
Connie,
You are right about the difference between an innocent crush that a student has on a teacher and what is going on in that commercial. It must be difficult enough to keep students interested in learning without having sex enter the picture.
I love the commercial. It plays upon the little things young people,
especially boys, think about. It's funny how those female teacher-having-sex scandals were reversed when it was a boy who received that teacher's gifts. A male teacher is fired, and thrown in jail immediately! But these lucky young guys are kings for it!
And that came about before the commercial did. The commercial won't cause it, it will shed light on it!
My two cents worth,
Joe
There is no doubt that the commercial achieved its objective. It was targeted at young people, particularly boys.
Inflation, however, has increased your two cents worth. Your 1960 opinion, according to my inflation calculator, is now worth thirteen cents.
Are those who produce the commercials helping the situation any?
Not a whit!! Capitalism seeks only to pad its "bottom" line. There is no concern for social responsibility, and the destruction of our economy by the globalization of corporations is the bitter fruit of our collective incuriousness.
Flat buns have been getting a bad rap for years...If we manage to do away with tastless humor, I fear anal retention will surge to all time highs...guess what "We Live In America", we are nuts and the rest of the world knows it but I'll bet we laugh more than most countries.
Toadie:
This comment was posted on "Mother Jones" by Nathan Simonsen on August 29, 2007. I thought you might find it of interest.
(Many) of the problems in the US today can be firmly placed on the shoulders of those who believe in and enforce Capitalism over and above everything else. The US is not a Democracy, it’s a Republic. Actually read the Constitution and you will not see Democracy in it. Almost no one referred to the US as a Democracy until the late 1800’s early 1900’s, and then it was done so for political reasons, not factual. We were founded and created as a Republic. [Machiavelli wrote that a Republic is just another form of Dictatorship. ] It wasn’t until the late 60’s early 70’s that the capitalistic dribble started to surge and work its way into the political main stream. And even now, what is called Capitalism in the US is not capitalism in the true sense.
Those who champion capitalism , like Ayn Rand, who’s novels “Fountain Head” and “Atlas Shrugged” most likely helped launch the US down the road to capitalism by influencing college students then, and still today, wanted a totally free, unrestricted capitalistic world. Sink or swim on your own. You could put arsenic in toys if you wanted, no one would stop you except the market. If the consumer didn’t mind that their children dropped dead like flies, then the company would thrive. If they did care, the company would fall. No outside influence at all.
The Quasi capitalistic society we have now is that those with the wealth and power get to conduct business unrestricted when compared to those of the past 40 years or so. They are usually against not only government interference into business , they are against government being an instrument of social responsibilities like welfare and social security. Or that is what they openly say. But when a businesses revenue falls due to arsenic in toys, illegal actions or another businesses ability to out perform their own production, it is those same capitalists who are banging on the doors of Congress with their hands out. Wanting laws to protect them, government hand outs for everything from farm substitutes for corporate farms and taxpayer money so McDonalds can promote their products overseas to policies that prevent them from ever closing down or being held responsible for their actions.
Did you know that Home Depot is specifically mentioned as not having to pay import taxes on ceiling fans, in a law that taxes those same fans for others? Or that certain drug manufactures can't be held liable for over a certain dollar amount, I think its $250,000 if a life is lost due to its product? And many times the laws are not enforced equally. Where one person is liable, a corporation may not be because they claim many jobs could be lost. But that same company will then move jobs off shore to save money.
Capitalism has created a short and unsustainable growth spurt of entrepreneurs and has made corporations wealthy beyond their wildest dreams. Its also caused the loss of millions of jobs, billions in lost income due to lower wages, loss of health care and benefits for families of workers. An overwhelming influence of a few in how laws and policies are created by our lawmakers. Lowered safety standards, lower environmental standards, lower educational standards, more poor and a greater division of wealth and societal divide than ever before. CEO's are making over 320 times the average wage earners salary, with benefits packages as well as golden parachutes most wage earners can not even fathom.
There is a saying “United we stand, divided we fall” and capitalism as it is in the United States today has done more to make the US fall in ever way, that once made us a superpower. We no longer are producers of products the world wants. We no longer are the idolized innovators. If the US was cut off from the rest of the world, we couldn’t even make our own shoes anymore. Due to capitalistic urge to find the lowest wages, and lowest regulations, they have caused the us to to a total shift from the greatest, to a North America super mall who is its own customers. We sell services and foreign goods, to ourselves. We now have to have the lowest prices because the majority don’t make enough money to buy more costly goods.
Capitalists are the “What's in it for me” mentality rather than “ for the greater good” mentality that made the US strong. I can not imagine any corporation today turning their auto manufacturing plant into a tank building plant because the government ask them to just for the greater good. It would take hundreds of billions of dollars and long term promises to get them to even consider it. And even at that, the corporation wouldn’t keep their promise. I have nothing against corporations making profits, and the strong survive in business. I think people who work hard, or just get lucky, should be entitled if they get rich, to do what they want, within reason though, and if a fair way. A corporation shouldn’t be treated as an individual when it comes to political campaign donations and political influences, but not treated as an individual when it comes to taxes and litigation. Or corporations who get government handouts of billions of dollars each year while they challenge the same thing for non-wealthy Americans. And the fact that someone with wealth, corporate or individual, has more influence on political lawmakers than others, is just wrong.
Almost all of the media that US public gets is owned by as few as six corporations. Those same corporations wield an enormous amount of influence on our world today. The President, Congress, Governors , state lawmakers and even the FCC have allowed many of these corporations , and others, to actually write the laws and regulations they have passed and are supposed to enforce. Does any of this sound like its in the best interest of our nation as a whole? I for one do not think so.
"...we are nuts and the rest of the world knows it but I'll bet we laugh more than most countries."
And idiots laugh more than those with normal intelligence.
Now who is going to sit there and watch a flat-bun commercial showing an old man standing there, without a butt?
The pigs have won while the sheep slept their deep sleep of indifference. We care, as a nation , what Lohan and Jesus would do more than we care what we as individuals should think and do. Lost in the culture of celebrity, we have no viable social fabric with which to identify. This pitiful religious revival is a pathetic lurch toward a moral center that we abdicated decades ago.
FYI I was being sarcastic but it's surprising how close to the truth it is .... I'm through "Wailing against the machine"...."There shall be a waling and gnashing of the teeth"...it's all just a sign of the times...without the political will, which is geared to the buck...and we already know that, I prefer to focus on indiscriminate KILLING, not the impact of flat buns at a local Burger joint...please...intelligent folks already know what going on but intelligence doesn't equate with power! I'm looking' to see the list of solutions myself...condemnation all day long will get no one anywhere fast but give invaluable exposure to that railed against.
Of course, I agree with Toadie in that run away capitalism is the problem but it's more than a governmental approach...it's a mind set!
At this point, unfortunately, I think we will be forced to see the scene where "Melt to Glass" happens. I've mentioned on several occasions about the power of the boycott which is the only defense against runaway Capatialism by the common man but the common man is too busy trying to feed his family to even think, solution....
"...culture of celebrity..."
For anyone who doubts that, just follow the media.
I know you were being sarcastic, and there is an element of truth in your sarcasm. You are correct in stating that ultimately the change must come about as the result of altering the mindset of the people.
I don't care for this commercial...It's targeting teens and sending the wrong message...but I'm not crazy about commercials in general so go figure..
I do think that targeting children (teens) to sell cigarettes and alcohol has been banned or abandoned...Apparently sex sells..I'm just not sure Carl Jrs is really selling hamburgers.
So I don't watch that much tv, nor do my kids. Honestly, I don't think it's worse than a lot of accepted media that's out there. I mean we are gonna get upset about this on a serious national level, but it's okay that the media promotes all kinds of other weird ideas.
Take Care!
The whole idea of a commercial is that people remember the product. It doesn't matter whether you liked, or hated, the commercial. Some are classics, some are vile, most are just stupid. But you will remember this one.
As far as censorship goes, the best censor is your channel selector. If you don't want to see something, change the channel. Or do as you do and put the sound on mute and don't watch the commercial.
If you think US commercials are in bad taste, you would have a heart attack watching the European commercials. They are filled with nudity, simulated sex, and gross language; and most Europeans love it.
AM
Thanks for giving us your perspective on this post.
Ed,
Sometimes, if you click rapidly between channels that are running the same commercials at approximately the same time, one or more of them will be slightly ahead or behind the other ones.
The commercials are juvenile, degrading at times and many like "Flat Buns" are funny. I laughed at the lyrics because I took it as a parody and was also amazed to see it on a broadcast network. Nothing surprises me off the satellite anymore....
As for the teacher-student angle, it was celebrated in the mid-80's in the video "Hot For Teacher" by Van Halen. It was meant as a joke and was taken that way. It was not on broadcast television, just cable.
I think Flat Buns was meant as a goof. Was it in questionable taste?
Oh yes.
Appropriate for over the air free TV?
I would air it after 10PM if I ran a broadcast TV station or network.
Have a nice evening,
Prank
can't say that it offends me nor do I find it does anything to the teaching profession and I have a son and two daughter in laws who are teachers. I will check with them and get their reaction and get back to you.
thanks
ice
Thanks for bringing up Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher." I think that my readers will see some parallels between this production and the commercial.
Hot for Teacher Lyrics
Oh wow, man !
Wait a second man. whaddaya think the teachers gonna look like this year ?
My butt, man !
T-t-teacher stop that screaming, teacher dont you see ?
Don't wanna be no uptown fool.
Maybe I should go to hell, but Im doin' well,
Teacher needs to see me after school.
Chorus:
I think of all the education that I missed.
But then my homework was never quite like this.
Got it bad, got it bad, got it bad,
I'm hot for teacher.
I got it bad, so bad,
I'm hot for teacher.
Spoken:
Hey, I heard you missed us, were back !
I brought my pencil
Gimme something to write on, man
I heard about your lessons, but lessons are so cold.
I know about this school.
Little girl from cherry lane, how did you get so bold ?
How did you know that golden rule ?
Chorus
(guitar solo)
Oh man, I think the clock is slow
I don't feel tardy
Class dismissed
Thanks for the visit. We would like to hear what the teachers think of the commercial.
Thank you for your comment. We needed to add that personal experience to the mix.
Ah, maybe I'm just too old and tired to try to change the direction of our culture. I've certainly seen worse commercials than the "flat buns" one. We have live models on t.v. selling products designed to "enhance" the body parts they cover. It's hard for me to believe the "buns" commercial is going to corrupt young people, with all the things they already have to look at and listen to, but I don't have kids in school either so what do I know.
Is it right or wrong, in spite of the direction our culture is moving in? I'm going to withhold judgment, and just say - it just is the way it is.
Signed,
Old and Tired
Old and tired, but still retaining a sense of humor.
There is one commercial that won't air here in New Zealand. No market. But I can almost hear the marketing strategy session:
One guy (had to be guys) outlines the commercial and from the ensuing discussion comes the strategy:
"okay, we run the ad. There's considerable debate/brand recognition and then we act responsibly by agreeing to pull the ad."
You must have been eavesdropping again.
I can hear the ghosts of millions of cows cheering you on with "Moo!"
How else do you explain HQQTERS....? Think a female owned establishment named PECKERS would fly...?