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Kristin Cavallari’s partnership with A&rby’snot only shocked the audience but also directed more attention towards fast food restaurant industry as madding she going to sale the new sadowed Deep Fried Turkey Gobler of theirs. The advertisement, which alludes to Cavallari’s past scandals, very cleverly casts some doubt over the truth of the endorsement, particularly when, the one, who has a very clear and healthy lifestyle, says it is Cavallari.
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Kristin Cavallari, taken by surprise, was featured in a promotional video where she was declaring it “Gobbler season”, and thus “showing off” Arby’s new Deep Fried Turkey Gobler sandwich. The reality TV star businesswoman narrated her talk full of playful references to her past controversies, saying “the one time when my high school boyfriend got me into a love triangle” and “the whole country literally dividing up”. She concluded: “From now onward I leave the beef and turkey to Arby’s”.
This partnership is not only a day-to-day divorce from the above-mentioned brands of Cavallari that signify a wellness entrepreneur and cookbook author who advocated healthy eating habits but actually a very good advertisement for the contradiction that was pointed out by those who saw the ad in their mixed feelings. Many observers have seen this crossroad between wellness and fast food, and some voices have labeled it that wellness moves to the other side of the street.
One of the observers expressed quite rightly: “This is literally the most unexpected thing I would ever expect Kristin Cavallari to do.” The comment section of the Arby’s promotional video was soon inundated with similar reactions, one person, for example, said: “I didn’t see this coming!”
The question of the original endorsement’s authenticity became a major issue of discussion. A lot of people disbelieved Cavallari’s fast food image. One voice was very clear: “Girl you’re NOT eating at Arby’s.” Another commented: “They must pay well bc there’s no way you eat that garbage!”
Some supported Cavallari but still felt it was an ethical dilemma. The gist of one comment directed to Cavallari was: “The ‘you ain’t eating that’ is not a claim we understand. And you’re the icon for it. Get that bag,” which acknowledged the financial aspect of celebrity endorsements. This was further reinforced by another “Money cannot be that tight,” hinting that the collaboration was purely for business purposes.
The banter became humorous when a viewer pointed to a technical error in the advertisement, “She didn’t eat it. The frame skips and she’s pretending to eat. She never takes a bite…” This comment led to further discussion about the veracity of food advertisements.
Besides the celebrities, the general public followed the stars on their social media and Cavallari’s brother-in-law, Talan Torriero, was the last unexpected viewer who appeared in the comments section making the family fun part of the conversation. He remarked, “It looks like we just needed turkey to end the beef,” in reference to past family disputes. In another comment, he was extremely enthusiastic about the product, “I gobbled ten of these during filming and they are 🔥🔥 the cranberry sauce 👌🏻”.
The partnership was a hot topic of discussion facing questions about brand alignment, and one participant very clearly stated, “If I’ve ever seen a misalignment of the brand and the spokesperson, this is one. You have been preaching for years how healthy you eat. No way you actually eat this stuff!!”
Skeptics aside, there were also in the audience people finding the advertisement funny. “My new favorite commercial!!” was one comment from a viewer who enjoyed it. Another simply said: “I’m on board with this collab.”
The partnership indicates a new chapter in Kavallari’s life as she keeps on transitioning from reality TV, fashion entrepreneurship (Uncommon James), podcasting to a collaboration with the fast-food brand. The surrounding debates put the spotlight on the interdependency of celebrity endorsements and personal branding, especially, when the partnership appears contrary to the public personas that have been built.
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As one observer summarized the situation very briefly: “Bullshit anything for a dollar,” thus, expressing the somewhat cynical public perception regarding such endorsements. Others, however, did not mind the personal consumption habits that the celebs narrated but acknowledged the business savvy behind the partnerships. The ad not only succeeded in generating quite a talk but also demonstrated that the public still loves and reacts to unexpected collaborations between health-oriented advocates and fast-food chains, thus, the issue of authenticity in influencer marketing is still among us and it will never go extinct. She recently revealed her New York City priorities, recalled a wild 8th-grade adventure, revealed a shocking teenage belly button piercing story, and shared her brutal epidural experience.
