Not everyone happy that sex sells at fast-food joint
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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — A Carl's Jr. restaurant that used two "street team girls" to draw attention on opening day got more than it bargained for.
The young women were dressed in matching outfits comprised of a short black skirt and low cut midriff baring top. Joining them was someone dressed as the Carl's Jr. Star. One woman was standing outside the restaurant on the corner of Gosford near Harris Road. Another woman was inside the restaurant meeting and talking with customers.
But customer Nancy Christensen was not amused. She was driving by and said she was appalled when she saw the woman on the corner, at first thinking she just might be crossing the street. Christensen said she then saw the Carl's Jr. Star logo and turned around to find out what was going on.
Christensen said she talked to the manager and was told it was part of a promotional campaign on opening day.
The mother of two children expressed concern over what she said was a wrong message being sent by a family restaurant, using sex to sell food.
A prepared statement from Beth Mansfield of the Carl's Jr. marketing department read: "Carl's Jr. adopts a creative approach to our marketing campaigns and advertising. It is intended to communicate the core message of our premium-quality food to our target audience of young hungry guys. We do not aim to exclude or offend any other groups with our efforts, but merely to appeal and amuse a very specific audience."
Carl's Jr. officials said they welcome customer comments and concerns online.
The young women were dressed in matching outfits comprised of a short black skirt and low cut midriff baring top. Joining them was someone dressed as the Carl's Jr. Star. One woman was standing outside the restaurant on the corner of Gosford near Harris Road. Another woman was inside the restaurant meeting and talking with customers.
But customer Nancy Christensen was not amused. She was driving by and said she was appalled when she saw the woman on the corner, at first thinking she just might be crossing the street. Christensen said she then saw the Carl's Jr. Star logo and turned around to find out what was going on.
Christensen said she talked to the manager and was told it was part of a promotional campaign on opening day.
The mother of two children expressed concern over what she said was a wrong message being sent by a family restaurant, using sex to sell food.
A prepared statement from Beth Mansfield of the Carl's Jr. marketing department read: "Carl's Jr. adopts a creative approach to our marketing campaigns and advertising. It is intended to communicate the core message of our premium-quality food to our target audience of young hungry guys. We do not aim to exclude or offend any other groups with our efforts, but merely to appeal and amuse a very specific audience."
Carl's Jr. officials said they welcome customer comments and concerns online.
Are these not cheerleader outfits, like the ones allowed in many high school sport events? How about when the parents take their kids to a football game and happen to see the cheerleaders there? Can't Carls Jr. have cheerleaders too? What about the outfits that the young Olympic girls use, such as for high bar and swimming? This isn't sex... It's called cheer leading! It represents a "sport", such as the sport of advertising! Nancy needs to get her head out of the gutter! And finally, when I think of Carls Jr., I think about a huge sloppy burger with onion rings! Talk about midriff!
WTF? What about us women customers? Where's my shirtless, buff street team man at humm?
 @IBEM Just finished my double 6 dollar burger... burp... can I be a street team man... burp!
Lets look at hooters! Â Why not Carls Jr. Â I will still come eat there and give them compliments! Â Nancy it's okak just relax and get a life!
I think Carls Jr. is doing a fine job and some people are just jealous of two little hotties. Â Nancy just needs to relax and maybe get a life.
Meanwhile at Hooters......
Sounds like Nancy has issues. Lighten up already. Don't be jealous. Oh, and congratulations on getting the TWO young ladies FIRED. I'm going to guess that you are also republican and would oppose them collecting unemployment benefits, now that you have cost them their job.
If this Carl's Jr was located by the beach there wouldn't be any complaints. I'm appalled that these "young women" weren't hotter. I didn't know "Nancy" was a professional advertising analyst/strategist. Nancy = artard.
Now that I know it is there I will check it out. Â Too bad the girls are gone.
As long as the girls wearing the outfits have the figure for it and are over 18, then i don't see a problem. The lady who complained should be happy these girls have jobs and are not sitting at home popping out babies on wel-fare,food stamps,and getting their housing and utlities paid for. Why don't you go and complain about that Nancy Christensen.
I thnk Nancy should pay more attention to that moe on her forehand. See the doc, stat!
My only complaint is that the author can't spell. Mid rift baring top? It is correctly spelled "midriff".
Nancy Christensen was driving by, she wasn't even a customer. May not have ever steped foot in a Carl's Jr before except this time to complain. How many, if any, of the paying customers were complaining? Carl's might even give consideration to dressing the work crew in the same attire when weather permits.
Clearly that lady has never seen a Carl's Jr commercial. I think the marketing campaign is awesome. We don't live in a puritanical society anymore and it's time some people stop acting like it. Carl's is targeting a very specific audience, and it works. This lady probably has no idea that her complaint is not going to change anything. In fact, the publicity of the whole thing will likely increase sales for Carl's, which is exactly what they want. It's a win for everyone. Those girls get paid, Carl's makes more money, and their target audience has something nice to look at. The only one that loses is the lady who needs to mind her own business. She can choose not to eat there if she doesn't like the message.
Every crowd has a prude.