Angus Maximus

For its latest commercial project, Carl’s Jr. tapped award-winning creative agency Erich & Kallman to supercharge the next chapter for the brand – the unapologetic champion of big, over-the-top burgers at a surprisingly accessible price. Erich & Kallman unleashed its characteristically bold, humorous approach to the work. For Carl’s Jr.’s “Angus Maximus”, a new burger priced at $5.99, they created a spectacle worthy of an emperor, putting it in the hands of a Roman gladiator riling up a packed Colosseum. (And that’s after the agency helped name the burger itself.)

The work will run through late October

"This ad powerfully introduces this cooked-to-order burger as a welcome alternative for anyone with a passion for flavor,” said Burge Diemer, CMO at Carl’s Jr. “The commercial creates amped up excitement around the Angus Maximus as the limited time offer product kicks off our era of cooked-to-order greatness. This year we’ve demonstrated a brand-wide revolution across all of our burgers, with a commitment to quality upgrades and changing perceptions – and creative like this assert us as the forward-thinking experts in crave-worthy burgers.”

Cooked-to-Order and Confident
The limited-time Angus Maximus burger (promising ⅓ lb of beef, melted American cheese, onions, pickles and a special sauce on a toasted brioche bun) is big on beef and attitude without a big price tag. This is reflective of the strategy behind the spot: This is the brand’s first limited-time-offer to highlight a notable cooked-to-order* gamechanger for Carl’s Jr. and CKE Restaurants. And the direct claim of greatness in the competitive burger arena – rising above the mediocre standards in the category – is an intentional, confident positioning.

*Participation may vary.

“Carl’s Jr. isn’t interested in subtlety, and the Angus Maximus is confident and irreverent in a way that feels like the epitome of the brand,” said Eric Kallman, Co-Founder and CCO, Erich & Kallman. “Through over-the-top spectacle, we saw the opportunity to turn a burger offer into an epic proclamation, reflective of the brand’s longstanding swagger.”

New Production Spectacle
Bold new flavors demand new storytelling approaches. The Erich & Kallman crew shot all of the epic Carl's Jr. ad scenes on a blue screen, using a variety of AI techniques that were new to the team – while the food was shot live, in addition to the actors. The creative process reflects successful experimentation with AI visual effects techniques that support best-in-class production standards and real-life actors – exploring new time and cost efficiencies while placing human appeal, talent and character at the core of the spot.