CKE’s Hardee’s Chain Will Be Banking on Star Power to Sing Its Praises

Hardee’s is turning to some popular recording artists to try to ring up more sales for the struggling restaurant chain.

Motown legend Smokey Robinson, Vonda Shepard of television’s “Ally McBeal,” Boys II Men, Lace and Lou Bega are the centerpieces of a new $100-million marketing campaign created by Johnson/Ukropina Creative Marketing in Irvine.

Hardee’s parent, CKE Restaurants Inc. in Anaheim, hired Johnson/Ukropina as the chain’s national advertising agency in December.

Hardee’s has experienced lower than expected earnings for four consecutive quarters. CKE, which also owns the Carl’s Jr. chain, has blamed the disappointing results on the slow pace of converting the Hardee’s chain to a new concept called Star Hardee’s, which combines Hardee’s popular breakfast menu with the line of charbroiled hamburgers sold at Carl’s Jr.

The new commercials began running last week in the Midwest and the Southeast, where most of the more than 3,000 Hardee’s restaurants are. The campaign will run throughout the year.

“We believe that music is a wonderful device for connecting with people in general,” said Joyce Ukropina, co-partner of the agency.