Before partnering with 72andSunny, Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s (CKE parent company) had two big problems: misattribution and not getting enough credit for the quality of their offerings.

And while misattribution is a significant problem across the QSR category, CKE restaurants were perennially vying for third place so their business took a big hit when their ad dollars accidentally sent customers to a competitor restaurant because they couldn’t accurately remember which brand’s commercial they saw with that delicious looking burger.

We knew that the core audience for CKE was, what we came to call, the Young, Hungry Guy. When he’s hungry, he engages the most primal part of his brain that seeks simple and often gratuitous pleasure. We wanted to tap into that instinctual behavior and encourage YHGs to indulge their cravings with an unapologetic attitude. We called on them to EAT LIKE YOU MEAN IT.

Science tells us that the same part of the brain that cares about food also cares about sex. So while our approach of featuring the latest ‘it girl’ of the Maxim/FHM world in our ads certainly raised a lot of eye brows and drew the ire of many conservative factions of society, our misattribution problem dissolved instantly (and as a bonus, resulted in a ton of earned media). There would be no more mistaking a Carl’s Jr ad for any other QSR. YHGs knew darn well where to get the goods.

On the logical side of the brain, we developed a brand pillar that touted the un-QSR-like quality that CKE puts into their products. Hardee’s makes biscuits from scratch, every morning. And both Carl’s and Hardee’s offer burgers made with 100% Angus beef, no steroids and a bun that’s baked fresh daily. We developed a creative system that was clean, bold and macro-focused on the ingredients that made our food so crave-worthy. We felt like CKE brands were uniquely willing to stand behind our product and would, in essence, dare the other QSR giants to get the camera this close to their food.

This one-two punch of left and right brain appeals led to significant and consistent increases in sales across the company, giant gains in ad spend efficiency and a cultural impact that has left an indelible impression on a generation of Young, Hungry Guys.