Author: Hardee's 

Date: May 28,2015

   In this advertisement, Hardee's utilizes many of the 7 deadly sins in order to create humor on the surface, while implicitly addressing deeply rooted issues in the media regarding advertising practices. Lust, gluttony, and avarice were all deployed in attempt to convey to the "All-American" audience that while having a pretty girl holding a massive burger is funny, it also shows the unethical and derogatory ways in which the media has portrayed women in the United States.

     When evaluating the text in a denotative manor, there is obviously a beautiful woman, or what society has collectively agreed as being beautiful, eating one of Hardee's gigantic "All-American" burgers. This is associated with lust and gluttony as the predominantly American male audience will not only long for the colossal burger, but for the model as well. 

     

     The advertisement then proceeds to show how the super model is in hot tub on the back of an American flag painted pick up truck. This specific portion relates more to avarice as most Americans are middle class, and the stereotypical middle class male vehicle is a pick up truck. All of these "sins" were used sarcastically in order to entertain the audience thus selling the product. 

     However, there was a much deeper message that Hardee's was attempting to convey to their middle class, male, American audience. This message being: women have been objectified and exploited through mass media in attempt to sell various products, and this must stop. By utilizing the deadly sins in such a way that creates such an intense level of sarcasm, the audience is able to realize how demeaning and outlandish this sexual objectification has become thus promoting the idea that the media must stop such behavior. 

Devices Used

• Repetition: 
• "In": The narrator of the commercial continuously uses the word "in" when saying how the burger is IN the hands of the super model, IN a hot tub, IN the back of a pickup truck. By repeating this word, it's adding more and more absurd elements to the commercial which adds to the level of sarcasm that's being created
• "American": By repeating this phrase, on the surface it establishes the intended audience, while subliminally it's essentially points the finger at America, specifically the media industry in America, that has caused the objectification of women to become normalized.
• Color:
• Red, white, and blue were used throughout the advertisement to intensify the overall American theme. It was also used on the bikini of the model which suggests that America has widely accepted and condoned such degrading behaviors from the mass media industry
• Music:
• Patriotic-like music played throughout the entire advertisement which, like repetition and color, establishes the theme and intended audience while also bringing blame to the U.S

     Overall, by creating such an elaborate and over the top advertisement (props, repetition, color, and music),Hardee's was able to not only entertain the "All-American" audience, but also convey how ridiculous is it to exploit women when trying to sell a product. 

-Jasmine Flowers