TBWA/London this week introduces celebrity cross-dressing to its
"Live to loaf" campaign for Strongbow.
A new 30-second ad breaking this week shows the Texan model and
ex-Rolling Stone spouse Jerry Hall entering a local pub. She stalks in
alone, glamourous sunglasses covering her eyes, and takes a seat at the
bar. The regulars quickly get over their shock and stir into action,
with one man sliding across and offering to buy her a drink.
Hall cuts him off with the demand, "Strongbow - pint," and then tucks
into her drink with the words "ah, loafing juice". However, after taking
a large gulp of the pint, her character suddenly changes. She emits a
loud belch, wipes her mouth with the back of her hand and takes off her
sunglasses, revealing herself to be - Johnny Vaughan.
With his free pint secured, the campaign's long-standing frontman now
has no need of the amorous young lad and the spot ends with him telling
his suitor to "naff off". His unfortunate suitor is eventually scared
away by the Strongbow arrows thudding into the bar in front of him.
The ad will run as a pounds 5 million national campaign with media
planning and buying by MindShare. The spot was written by Alan Moseley,
art directed by Graham Cappi, and directed by Daniel Kleinman through
Spectre.
"It's simply a very funny ad that taps straight into our audience's
sense of humour," Strongbow's marketing controller, Annie Neil, said.
"It'll take the campaign and our sales to another level."
Strongbow has enjoyed an substantial increase in sales - 35 per cent -
since the "Live to loaf" campaign was introduced in May 1998.
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