Jul
28
Apr
09
Grey NY, DirecTV Say Goodbye to Rob Lowe, Hello to Hannah Davis
Posted in: UncategorizedGrey New York released a series of new ads for DirecTV which signal the end of its campaign with Rob Lowe, which launched last September.
That campaign didn’t sit well with Comcast, and on Tuesday the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus ruled that DirecTV needed to stop using several of the claims it made in those ads. In Lowe’s place is Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition’s cover model Hannah Davis, who appears in a pair of ads which made their debut last weekend. In the first of the ads, Davis talks up the wireless aspect of DirecTV, which she says makes it so you don’t have to look at “ugly wires and boxes.” She then tells viewers you don’t have to take it from her, you can take it straight from her horse’s mouth, who then starts talking. In a second spot, Davis mentions DirecTV being rated higher than cable in customer satisfaction for the 14th year in a row before her horse goes off on a tangent.
As Adweek notes, the new efforts from Grey trade in three of the most tired advertising cliches: casual sex appeal, a talking animal and a literal interpretation of figurative language. While the Rob Lowe campaign was far from innovative, it at least started out as entertaining, before inevitably running out of steam. This campaign doesn’t have the same kind of potential, but at least it’s not likely to result in a lawsuit.
Apr
09
DirecTV Ditches Rob Lowe for Hannah Davis and a Horse in Shamelessly Silly New Ads
Posted in: Uncategorized
DirecTV doesn’t want you to have to look at ugly cable wires and boxes. So, it’s putting Hannah Davis on your screen instead (and saying goodbye to Rob Lowe).
Sports Illustrated’s 2015 Swimsuit Issue cover girl anchors two new spots for the satellite TV service from Grey New York. In the first ad, she rides a white horse down a tropical beach in a scene vaguely reminiscent of Isaiah Mustafa for Old Spice, offering an otherwise standard pitch for the wireless satellite service. In the second, she’s just sitting next to her ride.
There’s a twist in both, though, and it’s consistent with the brand’s history of cranking out solid comedy.
The work replaces DirecTV’s long-running Rob Lowe (and his lesser versions) campaign, which was dinged Tuesday by the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus for making unsubstantiated comparative claims about cable. (The fact that Comcast worked to ruin everyone’s fun is another good reason for consumers to hate that company—even if some of the DirecTV ads weren’t the nicest.)
Davis also appeared as a cat lady in a DirecTV print ad in the S.I. Swimsuit Issue. But—spoiler alerts ahead—the TV campaign hits the holy trinity of advertising clichés: run-of-the-mill sex appeal, a funny talking animal and a visual play on words.
It’s worth noting, though, that followed to its logical conclusion, the joke is basically saying DirecTV is a horse.
Feb
11
Here’s Air New Zealand, Sports Illustrated’s ‘Safety in Paradise’
Posted in: UncategorizedLast week, we brought you the behind-the-scenes video for Air New Zealand’s collaboration with Sports Illustrated, the flight safety video, “Safety in Paradise.”
Now, without further ado, is that full clip (above). “Safety in Paradise” celebrates 40 years of Air New Zealand flying to the Cook Islands, and 50 years of Sports Illustrated helping adolescent boys explore their budding sexuality with their Swimsuit Issue. The new safety video features swimsuit models Ariel Meredith, Chrissy Teigen, Hannah Davis, and Jessica Gomes hanging with Cook Island natives — as well as a cameo from three-time cover model Christie Brinkley (who just turned 60!) from her Hollywood home.
“The behind the scenes video has generated much conversation around the world about our brand and the Cook Islands as a destination since it was released last week. It’s exciting for us to release the full video today and we hope it will encourage many viewers to consider a trip to the Cook Islands,” says Jodi Williams, Air New Zealand global head of brand development.
To celebrate the launch of “Safety in Paradise,” Air New Zealand is giving online viewers the chance to win one of five trips for two to the Cook Islands. The video goes live today and “will be progressively rolled out on board across Air New Zealand’s fleet from the end of February.”
“Safety in Paradise” marks the latest in a long line of innovative safety videos from the airline, including videos starring Richard Simmons, Bear Grylls, and Betty White, and a Hobbit-themed safety video timed to coincide with the release of Peter Jackson‘s first Hobbit film. It also marks just one aspect of a “major worldwide marketing campaign planned to celebrate the 50th anniversary” of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
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Feb
07
Air New Zealand Team Up with Sports Illustrated for ‘Safety in Paradise’
Posted in: UncategorizedTo celebrate 40 years of flying to the Cook Islands, Air New Zealand has collaborated with Sports Illustrated (celebrating the 50th anniversary of their Swimsuit Issue) for a new safety video featuring swimsuit models such as Chrissy Teigen, Ariel Meredith, Hannah Davis and Jessica Gomes.
“Safety in Paradise” launches next week, but Air New Zealand has shared this behind-the-scenes video of the Cook Islands shoot in the meantime. Christie Brinkley, who was propelled to fame in large part thanks to appearing on three consecutive Sports Illustrated Swimsuit covers, also makes an appearance in “Safety in Paradise,” from her Hollywood home.
“Sports Illustrated Swimsuit has a massive worldwide television, online and print campaign to celebrate the 50th anniversary and we’re incredibly excited to feature in that activity. The magazine alone has more than 61 million readers annually and the safety video shoot with Air New Zealand will feature in the special anniversary edition,” said Air New Zealand Head of Global Brand Development Jodi Williams.
Entertaining safety videos are nothing new for Air Zealand, who have been doing it for years, featuring folks like Richard Simmons, Bear Grylls, and Betty White, not to mention the Hobbit-themed one they released to coincide with Peter Jackson’s film. If Delta’s recent 80s-themed safety video is any indication, entertaining safety videos are now practically a requirement for airlines. The “Safety in Paradise” video will begin showing on Air New Zealand flights on February 11th, when some fear an epidemic of uncomfortable in-flight arousal.
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