CKE counts on viral media buzz for sales
CKE Restaurants, parent of the Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s brands, is tasting success with an online marketing strategy that has racked up more 8 million views for YouTube videos about its burgers.
The Carpinteria-based company put some of the video-sharing site’s biggest stars to work promoting its burgers. One YouTube star generated half a million views using a Carl’s Jr. burger to fuel his illusionary jump over a speeding car, and the Carl’s Jr. Facebook page has more than 54,000 fans.
Social media and video-sharing sites such as YouTube form a sweet spot for CKE because of its focus on attracting “young, hungry guys,” the firm’s target demographic of 18- to 35-year-old men, said Brad Haley, CKE’s executive vice president of marketing for the Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s brands.
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