Will Carl’s Jr. be Amazon’s next big acquisition target as it looks to carve out a niche across food industries? If its latest online marketing campaign is to be taken seriously, Carl’s Jr. sure hopes so. As of 3 AM ET on Monday, the fast food brand began tweeting at Amazon once per hour, offering up a few "billion dollar'' ideas to try and seduce the e-commerce giant into a buyout.
"This is about generating a conversation around a partnership,'' Jeff Jenkins, Chief Marketing Officer, Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, shared in an interview with source USA TODAY. "The tweets are obviously a start to try and see where the dialogue goes…have a lot of fun with it, and see if they find the spirit of it as fun as we do.’’
According to USA Today, pitches Carl’s Jr. has been throwing at Amazon include the tongue-in-cheek "Eater Reader,'' a food tray that also serves as a cradle for your Amazon's Kindle tablet, and “Prime Thru,” an express drive through lane at Carl’s Jr. locations designed just for Amazon Prime members.
BIG IDEA 8/24: “Prime Thru” What’s faster than two-day shipping? Skipping to the front of the line! @Amazon #AmazonBuyUs pic.twitter.com/id3BnzMlPw
— Carl's Jr. (@CarlsJr) October 9, 2017
Yes, Carl’s Jr. has never been shy with its marketing strategies, making a name for itself though sexy ad spots in which scantily clad ladies enjoy one of the company’s signature messy burgers. But could a deal with Amazon actually be plausible?
Amazon perhaps has become used to being the belle of the ball in recent months, with many cities, companies, and beyond courting the e-Commerce giant. For one, several cities have been going head-to-head to win rights to be the home of Amazon’s second headquarters, HQ2, which is projected to bring as many as 50,000 new jobs and insert billions of dollars into the local economy.
BIG IDEA 2/24: “Tender Button” Push a button, get a tender! Delivery time may vary. @Amazon #AmazonBuyUs pic.twitter.com/VlAHyORsqz
— Carl's Jr. (@CarlsJr) October 9, 2017
“We've got to be impossible to ignore,” Jenkins said of Carl’s Jr.’s Amazon marketing strategy. “Both Carls Jr. and [sister brand] Hardee's have a history of provocative advertising...The question is how do you modernize that.”
USA Today reports that Carl's Jr. has continued tweets and more mock product proposals planned for the remainder of the week, prepared to offer up even more ideas such as the "Tender Button'' to get a chicken tender delivered straight to your door through Amazon.
BIG IDEA 13/24: “Lunch Registry” You know what’s better than lunch? People paying for your lunch! @Amazon #AmazonBuyUs pic.twitter.com/wtqTChdK96
— Carl's Jr. (@CarlsJr) October 9, 2017
"Some of the ideas are closer to home (to what) we could execute, but some are obviously pushing the envelope,'' Jenkins said. “People always overestimate what could happen in two years, and underestimate what will happen in ten.’’
Will you soon be ordering up burgers and fries from your local Prime Carl’s Jr. delivery location or scrolling through your Kindle with your new Carl’s Jr. fry stylus? Deli Market News will bring you the latest.
