Comments on: Hardee’s b-holes — do they sell?

By: What is the Bible

What is the Bible — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:06:05 +0000

Honestly this doesn’t suprise me. Controversial stuff sells like fresh donuts in the 21st centuray. No morals, no decency, no public outcry, just shock value.

By: โปรโมทเว็บ

โปรโมทเว็บ — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:15:15 +0000

b-holes lol good post.

By: Poptropica

Poptropica — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 23:55:03 +0000

thank you very much i love this blog!!

By: Internet Marketing Expert

Internet Marketing Expert — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:46:01 +0000

As a European, I don’t see anything fun in this video. Quite boring actually. I don’t even remember the brand, lol.

By: Devon

Devon — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:51:01 +0000

I work at a Hardees and I think this commerical does just what it set out to do, make you aware of the product and remember it. Weather you know the proper name or not, you know it’s there (you can find out the name when you get to one and view the menu) The proper name by the way, is Cinnamon Biscuit Holes (6 or 12 pack)

By: Adam

Adam — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:50:54 +0000

hmm, funny advertisement, but a little strange

By: Henry

Henry — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 12:49:01 +0000

good post!
I don’t think it matters at all that you can’t remember the product’s brand.
thanks for the sharing.

By: shpallje

shpallje — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:41:24 +0000

I think that their intention was to create a viral viideo. It might work in the US, but for me it just is offensive. I think humour should be a bit intelligent.

By: Why

Why — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:26:56 +0000

Recalled the name after one viewing. Easy!

By: Shean

Shean — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:47:06 +0000

I think the ad is funny and could be easily recalled. Hardees is Carls Jr. here, but next time I roll through I would definitely be tempted by some biscuit holes for sure.

By: Regina

Regina — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:30:37 +0000

It’s funny. Comparing donut holes and their biscuit holes and using A vs. B to categorize.

I watched it and got the product name after the first view. Then again, I’d read your article first, so I was probably paying more attention. Also, the product name is “biscuit holes” and that matches “B-hole”. So I get it and I remembered it.

It’s simple, not too offensive, definitely crude, but ultimately funny. Plus, we all know that A-holes are bad

Will I seek out a Hardees and order this product? No, I’ve had juvenile diabetes for most of my life and wear an insulin pump, so fresh fruit please. But it got my attention.

By: Daniel Sevitt

Daniel Sevitt — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:39:13 +0000

I think there’s definitely an upside to this for Hardees even if they don’t convert viewers into tasters. It kind of reminded me of the rebranding that clothing retailer French Connection went through in the UK. Within a short space of time that had put up posters in all their shop windows saying “FCUK” (French Connection UK.) It was shocking, but super effective and, over time, helped re-establish the brand as cool enough to buy from.

I wonder if the same will be true for Hardees down the line.

By: Matt Miller

Matt Miller — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:15:34 +0000

John, I always get a kick out of you posts. So few comments on the target market for this one. My guess is 18-25 year old males will love this video. And since Hardee’s knows what’s on the minds of their target market (no matter how low and cheesy on the marketing scale), this is basic marketing success. Look at Burger King’s new ads too…sex, vulgarity and anything related sells to whom? 18-25 year old males…

By: Mike Proulx

Mike Proulx — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:24:03 +0000

Loved it because it caught me off guard and that’s when I usually laugh the most. It was the combination of the spot’s irreverence (including their related spots) and having grown up with the “Pepsi Taste test” that made me immediately share the videos with my colleagues who I wanted to see react to them. And we all had lots of laughs with no offence. In fact, it was just the opposite.

By: John Quarto-vonTivadar

John Quarto-vonTivadar — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:16:02 +0000

@MktgGuru: yes that must be me, a self-righteous prude. I guess I’ll have to resign my membership in the local kink club

@Mom: just kidding.

@Pete: I had to watch it multiple times *cuz i was writing a blog post about it*. I knew what my first reaction was and I wanted to see how it changed over time, to semi-simulate ad repetition. The more I watched it, the less engaged I was. That’s precisely *why* I blogged about it, since repetition of good marketing should not have that effect (worst case should be “numbness”).

Right now based on this completely unstatistical sample of responses, it seems that most people found it funny (yes, intended by Hardees) but not nearly so many felt “oh man, I gotta try this!” (no, not intended by Hardees)

By: Pete Martinez

Pete Martinez — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:16:16 +0000

8 times? Since you watched it 8 times, then I’d call this a success. As marketers, it’s not about us and what we think – it’s all about the “others” which are the masses. It’s what they think and do that matters. It’s crushing to think my opinion doesn’t matter … but it doesn’t.

By: Mktg Guru

Mktg Guru — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:35:57 +0000

I think the ad is great. Funny, memorable, and only a self-righteous prude would find it offensive. It definitely makes me want to try one, so mission accomplished.

By: Barry Mills

Barry Mills — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:13:15 +0000

Ok, they got something else wrong. The entry form to submit names insists on a US zip code, which I don’t have so I can’t enter. Shame, I had a killer name for them.

By: Ryan Hill

Ryan Hill — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:42:08 +0000

I think it’s funny and I like that in an ad. However, this ad fails in the way most ads do. It in no way makes me want to try the product because I wasn’t inclined to in the first place.

By: Barry Mills

Barry Mills — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:36:53 +0000

Hey John, own up, are you working for Hardee’s? If you are it’s working out OK. If you aren’t, I guess it’s working even better since they’ve got this debate for free. How many viewers does grokdotcom have?

I think the one thing they’ve got wrong is the url at the end wasn’t flashed for long enough and obviously lots of people are missing it. They are trying to create debate about the name, and it’s working isn’t it?

I would try the product too, if it were available in the UK. I’m easily tempted to eat crap though, it has to be said.

By: Tim

Tim — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:25:22 +0000

I remembered the name and overall the thing raises brand awareness, but in no way does it make me want to actually eat the product.

By: darmowe mp3

darmowe mp3 — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:13:29 +0000

Hahaha, what a fail at advertising. Everything has a time and place, and an ad like this can work in 2 cases imo: if you’re trying to increase brand awareness (at which they apparently failed) or if you have all the brand awareness you need and can do something funny (see: pepsi ads).

By: Juvaly

Juvaly — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:46:53 +0000

You didn’t get the name because they didn’t want you to. They finish with “Go to NameOurHoles.com”. Don’t go there – you seem to be easily offended

By: Brian Massey

Brian Massey — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:10:59 +0000

It sure makes for an engaging blog post headline.

By: Sam

Sam — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:54:18 +0000

I’m not a native English speaker so I probably don’t understand half of it, but when you are in a store next time and are looking for a product in that particular “sector”, won’t seeing the brand name ring a bell now?
I guess that wouldn’t be a bad result?