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
Your analysis was pretty spot on. I agree that America values the oversexualization of women too much. The spotlight was less on the burger and more on the idea that the burger comes with the All-American lifestyle. They ad uses overstatement to really push the idea of a truly All-American burger. I think it's interesting that the ad kind of uses jargon that is directed specifically at american viewers like pickup truck and lady liberty. Any American would understand these terms. The imagery also appeals to American tradition and culture so people that are just visiting from other countries would definitely be tempted to try this All-American cheeseburger!! They can get that All-American experience all in one burger.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what both you and Mady have analyzed about this advertisement. I definitely agree that sexualizing and objectifying women is far too common in everyday advertising (look at a lot of these blog posts, yikes). I really like how you pointed out the surface humor and deeper, sarcastic humor, but I also believe that some of the audience may not comprehend the sarcastic tone being used. This would render this message useless, while the product would still appeal to this section of the audience; the company still gets attention/business.I bring this up because I know that Hardee's has also created and used other advertisements that sexualize women eating their food as well, portrayed in a way that seems less humorous.
ReplyDeleteWow, Hardee's and Carl's Jr. are so popular on here, but I can understand why. They are so hilarious. Your analysis is so interesting. Honestly, my myself, I wouldn't give Hardee's credit for making fun of America. I was wondering whether you're interpretation was a (reverse) example of Poe's law, where the extremism of the ad was seen as sarcasm, even though it was not meant as satire. I was thinking this because the other Hardee's/Carl's Jr ads seem like the general objectifiers, but now that I think on it, the reactions of the men are so true to life; it might be that the extremes to which they take sexualization is an attempt, not to normalize it, but to expose it's overprevelance. I personally think that the ridiculousness of this scene will communicate to everyone, regardless of whether they get the sarcasm, how silly each element is, and will lead to people to recognize the abundant oversexualization in other ads. I do think that the creators, at least, were consciously satirical in their advertisement because, and this is hilarious, there are not Hardee's or Carl's Jr.s in New York City! Seriously, there aren't even any east of the Hudson. So, to get that burger under the eyes of Lady Liberty, you really would need a land vehicle and a boat, and probably a hot tub too, just to keep it hot. I can't describe how hilarious this is to me. I think they purposefully made something that was practically impossible, a vision of America that doesn't exist, to criticise the engineered view of American culture and the sexualization of women.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I wonder if the commercial on the Memphis BBQ is satirizing Southern Conservative opposition of homosexuals, because it was all straight fanservice (pun not intended) until she got the sauce from the other girl's lips. That was gay... gay, gay, gay, gay, GAY! I want to see the male version, slightly heteroflexible as I am, and for a bit of perspective. People would go berserk. (God, I almost used "yaoi" instead of gay, and that would have been terrible. I haven't actually watched Berserk.) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1krJqn3smbI)
Also, the borderball, that was so not okay, and way so too soon. PS, the Mexicans paid for the net. I'm going to hell. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfgaRc5XeqI)
Wow! Great analysis. I totally agree that this advertisement sexualizes women and plays off of America's ideals about how women should look. The model is wearing things associated with "beautiful" women and something slightly scandalous. I do also think that Hardees is satirizing that the thin model is eating a huge burger that models typically aren't seen eating. They are probably trying to show that everyone eats their burgers, even thin models, and to open up their consumers to different kinds of people. I think that the commercial includes a lot of the deadly sins and presents them in a way that makes them seem desirable and even humorous.
ReplyDelete