WATCH New Paris Hilton Carl's Jr. Commercial: Heiress Posts Bikini Photos to Instagram
Paris Hilton and Carl's Jr./Hardee's are making comeback of sorts. Both entities are teaming up yet again for a commercial to promote the chain's new Texas BBQ Thickburger.
It was nine years ago - a lifetime in advertising years - that bikini-clad heiress Paris Hilton washed her Bentley in slo-mo while munching on a Carl's Jr. Six Dollar Burger. The controversial spot, dubbed "I Love Paris," was almost too hot for TV, but became an instant hit nonetheless. "Paris" crashed the company's servers after being posted on its website - it was watched a whopping 350 million times. Company sales soon spiked.
This time, Hilton pulls a surprise cameo - the star is instead a bikini clad Sports Illustrated model, Hannah Ferguson, washing her pick-up while munching a Texas BBQ Thickburger. The heiress shows up at the last minute, Bentley in tow, to tell Hannah she's "missed a spot."
Burger execs hope that lightning can strike twice and the sexy spot will pull people away from the competition. Andy Puzder, CEO of CKE Restaurants, which owns both the Carl's Jr. and Hardee's chains, believes it can. "It's a new take for a new generation. We're not just reaching back, we're pulling ahead."
One marketing consultant isn't so sure. Allison Cohen, president of ad consultancy PeopleTalk said, "It seems to me they're reaching back into their goody bag to see what they can do to revive the brand. They're rebuilding from the past because they don't have a fresh idea."
Time will tell if that is indeed a bad thing. Check out the commercial below and let us know what you think.
via USA Today