First look at new Carl’s Jr. sandwich and commercial

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CKE Restaurants, the Carpinteria company that owns the Carl’s Jr. and Hardees chains, is taking two big steps this week in its efforts to bring new customers into the fold.

First is a new sandwich, based around a thick, pretty juicy (I tasted it) boneless chicken breast that is hand-breaded and fried in the store. It’s on a seeded bun with tomato, lettuce and mayonaise. It packs 650 calories and is available now at both chains.

The sandwich is indicative of the company’s recent moves to add items that customers perceive as fresh and healthy to its menu. The last addition of that sort consisted of three different types of turkey burgers, which are selling suprisingly well.

Which brings us to the next and perhaps more interesting part -- the commercial, which you can see here for the first time anywhere.

This commercial was made by the company’s new advertising agency, David & Goliath of El Segundo, and there is not a single scantily clad woman in it.

Instead, the ad features a world-weary yet cute robot who comes home from work eager to try his chicken sandwich. But because he’s a robot, he has no mouth and he can’t eat it. The tagline aims to highlight the handmade nature of the sandwich: ‘Machines can’t eat it, so machines shouldn’t make it.’

Word is that the new ad agency said that near-naked ladies were all well and good in their place, but they ought to have something to do with the actual product if they’re going to be included in an ad campaign.

I’ve posted the 30 second version immediately below and will add the 60-second version when the company uploads it, probably about 2 p.m. PDT. The longer one shows the robot losing his cool and blasting his apartment with the laser. Curious as to what you think. And here’s a question: Should the company move away from lightly clad Kardashians in their upcoming ads? Why or why not?

[UPDATE: Video for the 60 second version of the commercial added below.]

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-- Sharon Bernstein

Video: Directed by Rocky Morton, the spot was created by El Segundo creative agency David & Goliath. Courtesy of CKE Restaurants.