CARPINTERIA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Call of Duty®: Black Ops III, a Tex Mex Bacon Thickburger and Charlotte McKinney - sounds like the best day ever! Today, Carl’s Jr.® and Hardee’s® announced a groundbreaking partnership with Activision in support of the upcoming release of Call of Duty: Black Ops III on November 6.
The powerhouse partnership marks the popular fast food chain’s biggest promotional tie-in and Call of Duty’s first ever in-game integration with a quick-service restaurant (QSR) brand. The dynamic program will feature unique in-restaurant and in-game integrations, including an “Ultimate Care Package” combo meal complete with a peel-and-win game piece sweepstakes, a Veterans Day fundraising campaign, and a Call of Duty inspired national ad campaign featuring the return of Charlotte McKinney.
“Call of Duty is the most beloved video game franchise in the world and one of the biggest entertainment brands of all-time, so partnering with Activision for the launch of the new Call of Duty: Black Ops III presents a great opportunity to bring our brands together,” says Brad Haley, chief marketing officer for Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s restaurants. “Our target customers love burgers, like our new Tex Mex Bacon Thickburger, and Call of Duty, so the two have now come together in an ‘Ultimate Care Package’ combo meal, complete with customized Call of Duty packaging that includes a peel-and-win game piece for a chance to win epic Black Ops III prizes.”
Of the partnership, Rob Kostich, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Call of Duty, says, “We’re thrilled to Partner with Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s on this far-reaching program that truly benefits the entire Call of Duty community. This unique collaboration and campaign gives fans across the country a chance to win some great prizes in-game and in-restaurant, and, importantly, creates a special activation for our military veterans. We are very thankful to Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s for their support of the Call of Duty Endowment, whose sole purpose is to drive our shared passion to put as many of our returning veterans into high quality jobs as possible.”
Veterans Day 2015 Philanthropic Support
In an effort to further support this partnership, Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s philanthropic program for military veterans and their families, Stars for Heroes™, will be conducting an activation of goodwill on Veterans Day, November 11, 2015. On that day, all proceeds from the sales of any “Ultimate Care Package” will go directly to the Call of Duty Endowment, a non-profit created by Activision Blizzard that has funded the placement of over 15,000 veterans into high quality jobs. With similar visions, both organizations will, together, help further benefit our nation’s military heroes and their families. All proceeds will go to the Call of Duty Endowment.
In-Restaurant Integration
Available at Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s starting October 21, 2015, fans can enjoy the “Ultimate Care Package” – a Call of Duty: Black Ops III branded combo meal that consists of a Tex Mex Bacon Thickburger, large fries and a large drink. The “Ultimate Care Package” includes a peel-and-win game piece giving customers the chance to win the ultimate gamer’s dream:
SWEEPSTAKES GRAND PRIZE: Treyarch VIP Experience
A three-day, two-night trip to Los Angeles that includes a tour of award-winning Call of Duty design studio, Treyarch, and the chance to meet members of the Call of Duty: Black Ops III development team. The Grand Prize Winner will also receive a gift bag full of Call of Duty: Black Ops III gear, including a copy of the game signed by members of the studio.
Instant-win prizes include: Call of Duty: Black Ops III games, Astro headsets outfitted with a Call of Duty: Black Ops III mod kit, in-game themed “Take Out” personalization pack containing a weapon camo, reticles and a calling card, as well as other clothing and gear items from 5.11 Tactical, and free food coupons.
More information on the sweepstakes, including prize details, rules and regulations can be found at www.carlsjr.com/callofduty or www.hardees.com/callofduty.
The Return of Charlotte McKinney
To support this partnership, Activision and Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s restaurants collaborated on a new ad campaign, titled “Best Day Ever,” featuring the return of Charlotte McKinney. McKinney’s “Au Natural” ad debut in early 2015 garnered over 4.5 billion media impressions and more than 12 million views on the chains’ YouTube channel. This time, viewers will see her like never before – armed and ready for battle. McKinney saves the day in the middle of a pyrotechnic-filled trailer inspired from the world of Call of Duty: Black Ops III. McKinney even performed her own stunts in the commercial. The ad will premiere nationally on October 26.
In-Game Integration
In addition to the in-restaurant activation, this program will feature in-game items when Black Ops III launches worldwide on November 6, 2015. Select sweepstakes winners will receive in-game items, including the “Take Out” personalization pack that features a specialized weapon camo decked out with a ketchup, mustard, and extra pickles themed design.
Follow Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s on Facebook (www.facebook.com/carlsjr and www.facebook.com/hardees), Twitter (@CarlsJr and @Hardees) and Instagram (@CarlsJr and @Hardees) for the latest product news and promotional offers. Download the Super Star® Rewards app from the iTunes Store and Google Play and check in to redeem Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s products on the spot, save points for a high-value reward, check out the full menu, and use the store locator to find any Carl’s Jr. or Hardee’s in the U.S.
More information on Call of Duty: Black Ops III can be found at www.callofduty.com/blackops3, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Callofduty) or on Twitter (@Treyarch).
About CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc.
CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. (“CKE”) is a privately held company headquartered in Carpinteria, Calif. Through its subsidiaries, CKE owns and licenses Carl’s Jr.® and Hardee’s® quick-service restaurants. CKE operates Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s as one brand under two names acknowledging the regional heritage of both banners. After opening its first restaurants in New York and New Jersey this spring and recent international openings in Canada, Colombia and Guatemala, CKE now has a total of 3,603 franchised or company-operated restaurants in 44 states and 36 foreign countries and U.S. territories. Known for its one-of-a-kind premium menu items such as 100 percent Black Angus Thickburgers®, Made from Scratch™ Biscuits, Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders™ and Fresh Baked Buns, as well as an award-winning marketing approach, the Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s brand continues to deliver substantial and consistent growth in the U.S. and overseas. The Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s system is now 90 percent franchised, with international restaurants representing 18 percent of the system. For more information about CKE, please visit www.ckr.com or its brand sites at www.carlsjr.com and www.hardees.com.
About Activision Publishing, Inc.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world and is a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), an S&P 500 company. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website www.activision.com or by following @Activision.
About the Call of Duty Endowment:
The Call of Duty Endowment is a non-profit organization founded by Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard. The organization seeks to help veterans find high-quality careers by supporting groups that prepare them for the job market and by raising awareness of the value vets bring to the workplace. For more information about the Call of Duty Endowment, please visit www.callofdutyendowment.org.
ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS, and stylized roman numeral III are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.
