Statement: New Carl’s Jr. Commercial Objectifies Women to Sell Hamburgers

NCOSE Press Statement logo

Statement by Dawn Hawkins, Executive Director of NCOSE 


Washington, DC – Carl’s Jr., one of four brands under CKE Restaurants, recently released a controversial commercial where scantily clad women play volleyball over the Mexican border in order to promote a new Tex Mex burger. The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) denounces this ad as a sexist objectification of women’s bodies.

“Apparently, Carl’s Jr. can only sell their hamburgers by surrounding them with degrading images of overly sexualized women slapping each others butts and pouring water on themselves while in bikinis for the enjoyment of male spectators,” said Dawn Hawkins, Executive Director of NCOSE. “This commercial is a continuation of CKE Restaurants marketing strategy to exploit women in their misogynistic ads for fast food. A society based on equality and respect has no place for companies that seek to profit from demeaning sexual advertisements. Women are more than meat.”

CKE Restaurants is on the National Center on Sexual Exploitation’s Dirty Dozen list, which names twelve mainstream contributors to sexual exploitation. To learn more about this campaign, please visit: https://endsexualexploitation.org/cke.

NCOSE also encourages the public to boycott CKE Restaurants, Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, and to use the hashtags #CutTheCarls and #MoreThanMeat.

If you would like to schedule an interview, please contact Haley Halverson at (202) 393-7245 or [email protected].

The Numbers

300+

NCOSE leads the Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation with over 300 member organizations.

100+

The National Center on Sexual Exploitation has had over 100 policy victories since 2010. Each victory promotes human dignity above exploitation.

93

NCOSE’s activism campaigns and victories have made headlines around the globe. Averaging 93 mentions per week by media outlets and shows such as Today, CNN, The New York Times, BBC News, USA Today, Fox News and more.

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