LOS ANGELES -- DirecTV rolled out a new series of commercials Wednesday night, featuring film stars reprising their roles with an updated boost of DirecTV’s movie offerings.
In TV spots from Deutsch/LA, the stars reenact well-known scenes and, while staying in character, address the camera and tout DirecTV.
The work introduces the tagline, "There's good TV, there's better TV, then there's DirecTV."
In a spot derived from John Hughes' 1986 teen romp Ferris Bueller's Day Off, former presidential speech writer Ben Stein (playing a teacher, as always) takes roll call in his characteristic deadpan. "Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?" The performance is intercut with clips of bored students from the original classroom scene.
When a student informs Stein that Bueller's out "sick," he turns to the camera and says, "Sick? Right. Or could he be home watching DirecTV, with the best 185 channels on television, which they just happen to be offering free for a month? Sick? I doubt it."
Another spot features Bill Paxton in his role as the tornado chaser in Twister. Helen Hunt (presented via an unaltered clip from the movie) warns him that they are "in the core" of the storm. He replies, "I know. But what I don't know is why I'm chasing tornadoes when I could be home watching DirecTV. It's the best."
The campaign will also feature Vern Troyer, "Mini Me" from Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, and a spot with a sports emphasis starring Nascar champion Clint Bowyer.
El Segundo, Calif.-based DirecTV spent $120 million advertising in 2005, per Nielsen Monitor-Plus.
http://brandweek.com/bw/news/tech/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002424201&imw=Y
In TV spots from Deutsch/LA, the stars reenact well-known scenes and, while staying in character, address the camera and tout DirecTV.
The work introduces the tagline, "There's good TV, there's better TV, then there's DirecTV."
In a spot derived from John Hughes' 1986 teen romp Ferris Bueller's Day Off, former presidential speech writer Ben Stein (playing a teacher, as always) takes roll call in his characteristic deadpan. "Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?" The performance is intercut with clips of bored students from the original classroom scene.
When a student informs Stein that Bueller's out "sick," he turns to the camera and says, "Sick? Right. Or could he be home watching DirecTV, with the best 185 channels on television, which they just happen to be offering free for a month? Sick? I doubt it."
Another spot features Bill Paxton in his role as the tornado chaser in Twister. Helen Hunt (presented via an unaltered clip from the movie) warns him that they are "in the core" of the storm. He replies, "I know. But what I don't know is why I'm chasing tornadoes when I could be home watching DirecTV. It's the best."
The campaign will also feature Vern Troyer, "Mini Me" from Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, and a spot with a sports emphasis starring Nascar champion Clint Bowyer.
El Segundo, Calif.-based DirecTV spent $120 million advertising in 2005, per Nielsen Monitor-Plus.
http://brandweek.com/bw/news/tech/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002424201&imw=Y
