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Gary Lineker continues his long-running plan to dispose of fellow

football nice guy Michael Owen in the new commercial for Walkers

crisps.

The ad, created by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, promotes a new Walkers’

’free books for schools’ initiative whereby the five schools that

collect the most tokens will win a visit from a footballer.

Owen opens the new ad by wandering up to some school gates, on his way

to visiting one of the winning schools. Once inside, however, he begins

to realise that all is not well. A schoolboy asks him to sign a lawyer’s

disclaimer and then a scrum of beefy rugby players comes thundering

towards him.

As the rugby thugs torment Owen it becomes apparent why the England and

Liverpool star is undergoing such humiliation.

It is at the behest of Lineker, who watches with mounting glee as his

rival for the label of football’s ’Mr Clean’ is dragged through the

mud.

This is the first time Lineker has succeeded in his on-screen feud with

Owen, who has been used as an occasional front man for Walkers. In their

last contest, Lineker attempted to get rid of Owen by using a crane with

a demolishing ball but was thwarted when the crane tipped over with

Lineker inside it.

Neil Campbell, the vice-president, marketing, of Walkers Snack Foods,

said the free books for schools initiative had so far given more than

2.4 million books to schools. ’This stage of the promotion provides

schools with an added incentive to keep collecting and plays on the

long-standing connection Walkers has with football.’

The campaign, which breaks on Monday, was written by Tony Strong, art

directed by Mike Durban and directed by Paul Weiland through the Paul

Weiland Film Company.

Media planning buying is through MediaVest.