Carl’s Jr. ditches burger babes, bikinis for boosting sales: ‘It was time to evolve’

The beautiful women that have become the hallmark of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s burger commercials in recent years are no more.

A new ad campaign created by the agency 72andSunny ditches bikini-clad women in favor of the character “Carl Hardee Sr.” and an emphasis on quality. The tagline “Pioneers of the great American burger” further highlights its shift from models such as Charlotte McKinney and Kate Upton.

“They’ve never really gotten credit for their quality, and we want that message to land with consumers,” said Jason Norcross, executive creative director and partner at 72andSunny, Ad Week reported Wednesday. “We want to reclaim their bona fides. It was time to evolve.”

The first commercial features actor Charles Esten as Carl Hardee Sr. recapturing the company’s reins from his immature son.

“We’re pioneers of the great American burger and the great American made-from-scratch biscuit,” the actor says. “And whatever great American thing we think of next — and that’s a promise.”

The new direction was approved by former CEO of CKE Restaurants Andy Puzder before he resigned and briefly vied for the position of U.S. Labor Secretary under President Donald Trump.

“I like beautiful women eating burgers in bikinis,” Mr. Puzder told Entrepreneur magazine in May 2015. “I think it’s very American. I used to hear, brands take on the personality of the CEO. And I rarely thought that was true, but I think this one, in this case, it kind of did take on my personality.”

Mr. Puzder will be replaced next month by Jason Marker, the former president of Yum Brands’ Kentucky Fried Chicken in the U.S., USA Today reported Wednesday.