Orange cinema spots use Hollywood names

Orange has recruited cult Hollywood stars to feature in a series of cinema ads that remind viewers to turn off their mobile phones and talk about the capabilities of its services.

The ads, by Mother, will run during the "goldspot" - the 60 seconds of airspace after the trailers and ads, but before the start of the main feature - which is currently owned by Orange. Traditionally, the company has used the space to air a current TV execution, as well as a reminder to viewers to switch off phones.

The new spots aim to show Orange's understanding of film, and feature the former Star Wars heroine Carrie Fisher, the Scottish actor Alan Cumming, the Jaws' star Roy Scheider and the director Spike Lee. Each 65-second execution shows one of them pitching their idea for a film script to a panel - the Orange Film Commission.

The comedy starts as each idea is hijacked by a product placement suggested by the commission, and ends with each star's pitch completed adulterated.

Scheider's idea for a feature in the style of film noir is reworked by the hapless commission and ends up in the style of "film Orange".

Each spot ends with: "Don't let a mobile phone ruin your movie. Please switch it off." Each will run in turn for three months throughout the summer, starting with Fisher's spot, in which her 19th-century romance turns into a vehicle for advertising text messages.

Media planning and buying was handled by Manning Gottlieb OMD.

Orange's marketing director, Jeremy Dale, said: "Orange has a long association with film, through London Film Week and the BAFTAs, and we wanted to do more to demonstrate that in situ."

Mother's Yan Elliot added: "It wasn't hard to find inspiration for these spots - we've all been in meetings where the client has lost sight of a great idea in favour of repeated product interruptions."

The ads were written and art directed by Mother, and directed by Bryan Buckley through Hungryman.

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