Hasta La Creative!

Hey, look at that! It’s former All-Pro NFL receiver and notable public nuisance Terrell Owens getting paid for his time by appearing in a 72andSunny spot for Carl’s Jr. It’s a post-Christmas miracle!

Sure, Owens hasn’t played in an NFL game since 2010. And, it’s been eight years since he last suited up for the Philadelphia Eagles, where he was let go after getting into a beef (get it?) with the team owner and QB Donovan McNabb (who he accused of getting “tired” during the Eagles’ Super Bowl loss in early 2005). But, agency and client needed someone to shit on Philadelphia’s notoriously vocal fans to contrast them with the deliciousness of their Philly Cheesesteak Burger, and Owens was more than happy to oblige.

But, should you feel any sympathy for how he was treated in Philadelphia, or during his multiple attempts at an NFL comeback over the last few years, remember how he he frequently implied that San Francisco 49ers QB Jeff Garcia was gay despite it having no bearing on anything. Remember how he called out Donovan McNabb for not playing through a sports hernia and implied he wasn’t a warrior like Brett Favre. Oh, and remember his terrible VH1 reality show. Because we should really bring that up more often. Credits after the jump.

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Hardee’s/Carl’s Jr. seems to be in a constant marketing tug-of-war between using half-naked girls to sell their menu and attempting to move away from sexualizing their products entirely. When David & Goliath won the biz at end of 2010/beginning of 2011, the agency starting producing spots for the fast-food chain that seemingly mocked the company’s usual over-the-top, sex sells approach while, simultaneously, not skimping on the bikini-clad models.

It seemed as though everyone was happy, that is until David & Goliath stopped putting sexy girls in the ads altogether. Rumor has it that this angered higher-ups at Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s parent, CKE, who were all like, “Where are the sexy ladies, dudes?” So, in less than a year, D&G lost the business.  72andSunny, which took over on the CKE account almost immediately, has proven their loyalty to the topless-girl-eats-a-sandwich-in-slow-motion style of execution with their ongoing TV spots. However, the above ad, “No Tomorrow,” seems to again be moving away from sexy people in favor of sexy ingredients.

As someone who tries to avoid fast-food UNLESS we’re talking about breakfast, Hardee’s Pork Chop ‘N’ Gravy Biscuits actually look very mouthwatering in this spot. I understand that Hardee’s advertising usually is a bit more conservative than Carl’s Jr.’s, but I wonder if this is the kind of execution that the latter could benefit from as well. As history has shown, a lack of sexy girls is a risky move for any agency working for these brands in particular. However, I hope this works out for 72andSunny, as they are able to do for Hardee’s what McGarryBowen tried (and failed) to do for Burger King. Credits after the jump.
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