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Jenya · 10-06-2005, 09:40 AM

Monster-Burger War Ready to Stuff Millions of Americans and Canadians
The Bad Boys of Burger Business Heads Over The Borders
'Provocative' ads try to lure `hoofoos'

By: DANA FLAVELLE
Canadian Press

Thursday, October 06, 2005

The bad boys of the burger industry is about to break across the Borders.

Carl's Jr., run by a former rock guitarist and known as much for provocative television ads as massive beef burgers, is taking a run across the northern border, while the Canadian fast food giant Harvey's will be heading to the U.S. in 2007.

Carl's Jr., the California parent company, CKE Restaurants Inc., could open as many as 500 restaurants in Canada "over time," starting with a "handful" as early as next year in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, said Ned Lyerly, vice-president international.

"We're looking for franchise partners right now, either exclusive-territory developers or a master franchiser for all of Canada," Lyerly said in a telephone interview yesterday.

The company, which first mused over Canadian expansion plans last May, took the next step yesterday by hiring Canadian franchise restaurant consulting firm Parker & Associates of Vancouver to help develop a strategy for this market.

The move could definitely spice up Canada's fast-food industry if Carl's Jr. brings in its provocative advertising campaigns.

The latest featured former party girl turned actress Paris Hilton clad in a skimpy black bathing suit and high heels. The ad was set in a car wash and shot by a rock video producer. The camera followed a writhing Hilton as she engaged a high-powered hose, a lot of soap lather, an ultra-luxurious Bentley and a Carl's Jr. burger the size of Hilton's face.

The ads are aimed at a group of consumers Carl's president and chief executive officer Andrew Puzder refers to as "hoofoos." That's industry jargon for "heavy fast food users," a target market dominated by men between the ages of 18 and 34.

The Hilton ads aren't the first to give the regional 1,020-restaurant chain the kind of publicity it couldn't afford to buy as the fourth-ranked player in the multibillion-dollar United States burger market (including sales of the parent's other chain, Hardee's).

To promote products, Carl's Jr. has in the past turned to basketball bad boy Dennis Rodman and Playboy-empire founder Hugh Hefner.

Even the chain's health-promotion ads, which urge consumers to "Eat right, exercise more," feature an attractive young woman in tight jeans riding a mechanical bull while eating a huge burger.

"When you're not the biggest spender, you have to find a way to break through the clutter," Lyerly said in defence of what he called the company's "provocative" ad campaigns.

But it's not just the ads that raise eyebrows. In an era of rising consumer concern about obesity rates, Carl's Jr. trademark menu item, "The Six Dollar Burger," weighs in with twice the calories and fat of the fast-food industry's leader, the popular McDonald's Big Mac.

Carl's Jr. says it's aware of the health-food trend among consumers, but they're not the chain's target market.

"We have pre-packaged salads. We have a line of skinless charbroiled chicken breasts. But that's not our primary focus. We remain focused on `craveable,' great tasting burgers," Lyerly said.

And, in that, Carl's Jr. shares a business philosophy remarkably similar to that of Canada's own Harvey's burger chain, which could also prove to be Carl's Jr.'s biggest competitor-- Especially when Harvey's plans to open new restaurants in the western U.S. states starting in 2007.

"We've heard that before. Harvey's will be one of our competitors. We know Harvey's 'The Big Harv' mega-burger is a big seller in Canada. We're going after the same segment of the market," Lyerly said yesterday.

Interestingly, Carl's Jr.'s parent company is prevented from bringing its other burger chain, Hardee's, into Canada because of a trademark dispute won by Harvey's over the similarity of the names, and Harvey's won't have any of their fast food restaurant chains in states that currently have Hardee's restaurants.

The Carl's Jr. "Monster Burger" doesn't actually cost $6 (U.S.), Lyerly added. (It's $3.95, which was worth about $4.66 at yesterday's exchange rate.) The name was intended to evoke the image of the kind of high-quality burger that costs on average $6 in a sit-down casual-dining restaurant.

Puzder has described it as the kind of burger he lived on while playing guitar in a rock band and putting himself through law school before becoming personal attorney to Carl's Jr. founder Carl Karcher.

The company hasn't priced the burger for Canada, nor picked the different name, Lyerly said.

10-06-2005, 09:40 AM	#1
Jenya Supervisor Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 20, 2003 Location: Canmore, Alberta Posts: 3,359	Monster-Burger War Ready to Stuff Millions of Americans and Canadians Monster-Burger War Ready to Stuff Millions of Americans and Canadians The Bad Boys of Burger Business Heads Over The Borders 'Provocative' ads try to lure `hoofoos' By: DANA FLAVELLE Canadian Press Thursday, October 06, 2005 The bad boys of the burger industry is about to break across the Borders. Carl's Jr., run by a former rock guitarist and known as much for provocative television ads as massive beef burgers, is taking a run across the northern border, while the Canadian fast food giant Harvey's will be heading to the U.S. in 2007. Carl's Jr., the California parent company, CKE Restaurants Inc., could open as many as 500 restaurants in Canada "over time," starting with a "handful" as early as next year in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, said Ned Lyerly, vice-president international. "We're looking for franchise partners right now, either exclusive-territory developers or a master franchiser for all of Canada," Lyerly said in a telephone interview yesterday. The company, which first mused over Canadian expansion plans last May, took the next step yesterday by hiring Canadian franchise restaurant consulting firm Parker & Associates of Vancouver to help develop a strategy for this market. The move could definitely spice up Canada's fast-food industry if Carl's Jr. brings in its provocative advertising campaigns. The latest featured former party girl turned actress Paris Hilton clad in a skimpy black bathing suit and high heels. The ad was set in a car wash and shot by a rock video producer. The camera followed a writhing Hilton as she engaged a high-powered hose, a lot of soap lather, an ultra-luxurious Bentley and a Carl's Jr. burger the size of Hilton's face. The ads are aimed at a group of consumers Carl's president and chief executive officer Andrew Puzder refers to as "hoofoos." That's industry jargon for "heavy fast food users," a target market dominated by men between the ages of 18 and 34. The Hilton ads aren't the first to give the regional 1,020-restaurant chain the kind of publicity it couldn't afford to buy as the fourth-ranked player in the multibillion-dollar United States burger market (including sales of the parent's other chain, Hardee's). To promote products, Carl's Jr. has in the past turned to basketball bad boy Dennis Rodman and Playboy-empire founder Hugh Hefner. Even the chain's health-promotion ads, which urge consumers to "Eat right, exercise more," feature an attractive young woman in tight jeans riding a mechanical bull while eating a huge burger. "When you're not the biggest spender, you have to find a way to break through the clutter," Lyerly said in defence of what he called the company's "provocative" ad campaigns. But it's not just the ads that raise eyebrows. In an era of rising consumer concern about obesity rates, Carl's Jr. trademark menu item, "The Six Dollar Burger," weighs in with twice the calories and fat of the fast-food industry's leader, the popular McDonald's Big Mac. Carl's Jr. says it's aware of the health-food trend among consumers, but they're not the chain's target market. "We have pre-packaged salads. We have a line of skinless charbroiled chicken breasts. But that's not our primary focus. We remain focused on `craveable,' great tasting burgers," Lyerly said. And, in that, Carl's Jr. shares a business philosophy remarkably similar to that of Canada's own Harvey's burger chain, which could also prove to be Carl's Jr.'s biggest competitor-- Especially when Harvey's plans to open new restaurants in the western U.S. states starting in 2007. "We've heard that before. Harvey's will be one of our competitors. We know Harvey's 'The Big Harv' mega-burger is a big seller in Canada. We're going after the same segment of the market," Lyerly said yesterday. Interestingly, Carl's Jr.'s parent company is prevented from bringing its other burger chain, Hardee's, into Canada because of a trademark dispute won by Harvey's over the similarity of the names, and Harvey's won't have any of their fast food restaurant chains in states that currently have Hardee's restaurants. The Carl's Jr. "Monster Burger" doesn't actually cost $6 (U.S.), Lyerly added. (It's $3.95, which was worth about $4.66 at yesterday's exchange rate.) The name was intended to evoke the image of the kind of high-quality burger that costs on average $6 in a sit-down casual-dining restaurant. Puzder has described it as the kind of burger he lived on while playing guitar in a rock band and putting himself through law school before becoming personal attorney to Carl's Jr. founder Carl Karcher. The company hasn't priced the burger for Canada, nor picked the different name, Lyerly said.