Olive Garden Doesn't Appreciate Playboy Star's Endorsement

Pussy 08-17-2008

Kendra Wilkinson, a Playboy cover model, television star and one of Hugh Hefner's three live-in girlfriends, professes deep love for the Olive Garden Italian restaurant chain.

The feeling isn't mutual.

To the consternation of Olive Garden's marketers, who have spent millions crafting the franchise's family-friendly image, the 23-year-old adult-entertainment star and aspiring real-estate mogul repeatedly uses her spotlight to rave about its midprice eateries. Ms. Wilkinson hoists Olive Garden doggie bags in the air and extols its chicken parmigiana. She once scandalized European diners by declaring the Olive Garden preferable to any restaurants in Italy.

Ms. Wilkinson, whose tan skin and blonde-white hair project classic California, isn't on the payroll. She is a rogue brand ambassador: a celebrity who is genuinely, publicly devoted to a product or service, even if he or she doesn't quite embody the values that the brand's managers may be trying to convey.

Executives at Olive Garden declined to discuss the uninvited spokesmodel. One official says the company has tried to walk a fine line with its response, maintaining the chain's wholesome image without alienating potential customers. "I don't feel comfortable talking about this...because it is a complicated issue for the brand," says Michele Kay, executive vice president of WPP Group's Grey advertising firm, which handles the Olive Garden account.

Ms. Wilkinson says that when she started praising the restaurant on television and on her very popular MySpace page, it never crossed her mind what the folks at Olive Garden might think. "I don't speak about it to get paid for it," she says. "I speak about it because I love it. I understand they're a family restaurant, but I think it can't hurt them to have a little spice."

Raven

Major fuck up by Olive Garden in my opinion. Never heard of heard before but I'm interested now.

papico

crazy ass

Sunisa

I would of been a step up from Hooters but they just messed up everything for them. Would of been a great promotion for them.

carmelnell

ya that is a fuck up by olive garden!!

Hsoolien

When you spend years crafting the wholesome family experience. the endorsement this pornstar provides can hurt your sales. Notice they have not said fuck off, they just aren't comfortable.

Nina

I did notice the phrase used. Although I know it shouldn't be like it is now but ut even just that small phrases I can see it hurting them. I wouldn't say it would be a big hurt in their pockets maybe not even noticeable but will hurt, maybe like a mesuito bite.

hugo281

I know right!!! I mean they could've come up with an idea to still keep the Olive Garden wholesome like they put it, and still banked on the cash from this, what a bunch of dumbasses

Hsoolien

Since the Olive Garden operated only in North America, and is especially popular as the Family Italian place in the Midwest, the boost in sales a semi-popular porn star would provide would be a drop in the bucket to the losses of indignant self righteous bible belt families (they have enough power to affect Disney marketing, a worldwide multi billion dollar corporation, in fact they hold a noose over many corporations)