The Parents Television Council said it is encouraging its more than 1 million members to voice their disapproval of the ad to Carl's Jr., a hamburger chain owned by Carpinteria, California-based CKE Restaurants Inc.

The Los Angeles-based group was also weighing whether to ask the Federal Communications Commission to declare the ad indecent, according to spokeswoman Melissa Caldwell.

"The ad crosses any sort of boundaries about what's appropriate for TV," Caldwell said, adding that the spot was "basically soft porn." CKE Restaurants Chief Executive Andy Puzder took issue with the group's characterization of the ad as pornographic. "There is no nudity in this ad. This isn't Janet Jackson's nipple," Puzder said in an interview. "It's just a fast-food ad. I wish they would focus on something that might be more meaningful."

Puzder added that the commercial has only run during adult television programs and is aimed at Carl's Jr.'s target demographic of "young hungry guys."

"It's not as if we're running this on SpongeBob SquarePants," Puzder said, referring to the popular children's television cartoon. "This ad is not targeted to kids."

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Would You Buy A Hamburger From This Woman?

Would you buy a hamburger from this woman? Carl's Jr. is banking on it. Next week, burger lovers can tune in watch Paris Hilton in a skimpy black bathing suit, washing her custom Bentley and then taking a break for a full-fat, greasy Carl's Jr. hamburger. Playing in the background will be a rock version of the song "I Love Paris in the Springtime." She'll also say--shock of shocks--"That's hot." Of course it is a hamburger garnished with barbecue sauce and jalapeno peppers. ABC News has the breaking story:

"We're working on trying to make Paris Hilton famous," joked Andrew Puzder, president and chief executive of CKE Restaurants Inc., which owns the two fast food chains. Puzder said his company's ad agency suggested using Hilton. "She's very appealing to our demographic," which he described as young, hungry guys.

"And it turns out she really loved the burger we wanted her to promote," Puzder said. "We did see her eat a couple of them at the shoot."

If the commerical isn't hot enough for you, Carl's Jr. is also offering a longer verson of the commercial which is much racier.

Our informal poll of random males indicates that Carl's Jr. is going to be selling a lot of jalepeno barbecue burgers.

Posted on May 14, 2005
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