If you had never heard of Carl's Jr. before, you probably have by now. The Los Angeles-based burger joint thrust itself into the national spotlight recently when an ad featuring socialite Paris Hilton sparked controversy for its overtly sexual themes. In the TV spot, a swimsuit-clad Hilton soaps and crawls over a Bentley before slipping away to take a voracious bite of a Carl's Jr. Spicy BBQ Burger. The sensational ad caused a row with television audiences and advertising watchdog groups who categorized Hilton's performance as "soft-core porn."

In spite of public protest, spokespersons for Carl's Jr. defended the commercial as merely "a beautiful model in a swimsuit washing a car." CEO Andy Puzder was pleased with the national coverage garnered by the controversy, and the outspoken chief relished the fact that the $5 million ad buy generated millions more in free publicity as discussion of the titillating ad became a regular attraction for shows like Entertainment Tonight and The O'Reilly Factor.

In spite of outcries from the Parents Television Council and other advocacy groups, analysts say that audiences can expect to see more ads pushing the envelope of public decency. While risque ads rile critics and fill email boxes with complaints, the resulting publicity often pays off. And in the post-TiVo world where consumers can tune out commercial images at will, getting the viewer to notice and seek out ads by any means necessry is an essential part of the game.