L.A. Firm Wins $25-Million Carl’s Jr. Advertising Account

CKE Restaurants Inc. said Thursday that it has selected Los Angeles-based Mendelsohn/Zien Advertising to handle the $25-million annual account for its Carl’s Jr. fast-food chain, effective May. 2.

Mendelsohn/Zien succeeds Grey Advertising Inc., also of Los Angeles, which has held the account since December, 1993.

Other accounts now managed by Mendelsohn/Zien include Clothestime Inc., which, like CKE Restaurants, is based in Anaheim. The agency also handles the advertising accounts of Western Region BMW Dealers Assns., Smith’s Food & Drug Centers, Loews Hotels and 20th Century Insurance.

CKE Restaurants is the holding company for Carl Karcher Enterprises Inc., which operates about 650 Carl’s Jr. restaurants, most of them in California, Nevada, Oregon, Arizona and Mexico.

The holding company also owns Boston Pacific Inc., which, under a franchise agreement, plans to own and operate as many as 300 Boston Chicken fast-food outlets in California within five years.

Boston Pacific is not included in the CKE advertising contract with Mendelsohn/Zien.