Adverts often star characters, actors or the company’s owner and this representative can make all the difference in public perception of a brand. 

Character Cameos

Love them or hate them, the right reoccurring character can make an advert and become synonymous with a brand. Read on for Squideo’s top five picks for iconic fictional characters who starred in adverts. How many do you recognise?

01. Bird’s Eye

Captain Birdseye, also called Captain Iglo in mainland Europe, has been a feature onscreen since 1967. Barring a brief death of the Bird’s Eye character in 1971, which was marked with an obituary in The Times, Captain Birdseye has been their mascot for over fifty years. Initially played by actor John Hewer, the Captain has also become illustrated with a prominent place on the packaging of Bird’s Eye goods. In 2018 a new actor, Riccardo Acerbi, took over the role proving Captain Birdseye is here to stay. 

02. Duracell

The longstanding mascot for this company, the Duracell Bunny, was introduced in 1974. Besides a brief period when it was replaced by The Puttermans, a fictional family who received mixed reviews from audiences, Duracell Bunny has remained this brand’s mascot ever since. So successful was the introduction of the Duracell Bunny that Duracell’s competitor – Energizer –introduced the Energizer Bunny as a rival causing a legal dispute between both companies. 

03. Go Compare

This character might fall under the “hate them” category, but it’s impossible to deny the effectiveness of Go Compare’s Gio Compario. The adverts have been running since 2009, with Welsh singer and actor Wynne Evans playing the character. The pervasiveness of this character became so divisive that an advert series was run by Go Compare in 2012 which featured various celebrities trying to assassinate Gio. Introducing this character certainly made the brand memorable, making Gio as effective as he is annoying. 

04. Michelin

Bibendum, known as the Michelin Tyre Man in the English-speaking world, might be older than you think. First created for this French company in 1894, this character has become an icon the world over and remains one of the oldest trademarks still in use. The character has changed over the years to reflect the times, but every version remains identifiable as the Michelin Tyre Man. Its popularity has been referenced in books, film, television and songs. The character even starred in a 2009 animated short film, Logorama. 

05. Rice Krispies

While not as old as Bibendum, Rice Krispies’ Snap, Crackle and Pop are no spring chickens. First appearing in 1933, these characters evolved from cartoonish gnomes to friendly elves over the years. Their names were derived from a radio advert – a real indication of their age – which describes the sound made from adding milk to this cereal. The names later became a jingle which, like the characters, is still used in the Rice Krispies adverts. 

Who Are You Wearing?

These characters have carved out a legacy in advert history, but not all advertisers use fictional characters. Others prefer the classic celebrity endorsement – plastering the face of the world’s most famous people all over their product. This approach has its advantages and disadvantages, which come with the popularity of said celebrity. 

Read on for Squideo’s top five picks for notable celebrity endorsements. 

01. Dior

Natalie Portman was made a brand ambassador for Dior in 2010. As an ambassador, that means Portman not only appears in television adverts, but also wears Dior products at public events and attends Dior shows. Portman’s advertisements for the Dior fragrance Miss Dior have been particularly popular, combining well-known music, engaging storytelling and creative cinematography. 

02. EE

From 2012, the UK’s EE mobile network has been fronted by American actor Kevin Bacon. Capitalising on the popular game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon and the actor’s prolific career, as well as a recent financial disaster which left the actor strapped for cash, Bacon has been the face of this brand almost as long as its existence – EE was founded in 2010. It’s certainly come a long way over the past decade, now ranked as the best rated 5G network in Britain, and these adverts certainly contributed to the growth of this brand over such a short period of time. 

03. Nespresso

George Clooney hardly needed more exposure when he started appearing in Nespresso’s adverts in 2006, but his addition gave a huge boon to the brand. After becoming closely associated with Nespresso, Clooney started taking a deeper interest in their practices – including independently travelling to its coffee farms to test its claims of sustainability. The adverts utilise public perception of Clooney, portraying him as suave and a bit smug, always maintaining his tongue-in-cheek humour. 

04. Nike

In 1984, Michael Jordan signed up with Nike for sponsorship – but unlike other sportsmen of the time he wasn’t going to be constrained to modelling their products, he wanted to create his own. Every year a new Air Jordans design is released, with vintage sneakers selling for thousands of dollars on the second-hand market. By limiting stock the demand is always higher for new and vintage Air Jordans than production numbers, which keeps this product at the forefront even after Jordan’s retirement. 

05. Renault

It’s a testament, not only to the star power of Thierry Henry, but to the marketing team at Renault that this advert was able to change the English language. In 2004, the Oxford English Dictionary weighed in on the definition of Henry’s iconic line in the advert – “va-va-voom” – defining it as “the quality of being exciting, vigorous or sexually attractive." The definition was included in the dictionary they published that same year. If the Oxford English Dictionary needed to contribute, it proves that Renault’s advert certainly got people talking: about Henry, va-va-voom, and the Renault Clio. 

Face to the Name

The last type of representative to address is the boss. The big boss. 

Adverts featuring the founder or owner of a business have steadily become more common as the popularity of the celebrity brands grows. Anyone who is anyone seems to have their own business nowadays, and they capitalise on their existing fame to sell their products. 

Read on for Squideo’s top five picks for notable owner appearances in adverts. 

01. Aviation American Gin

Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds has done his fair share of advertising work, but when he bought a stake in Aviation American Gin in 2018 the bar was raised. While Reynolds doesn’t always star in these adverts (their 2019 parody of a critically panned Peloton advert, for example, went viral), he has successfully become the face of the brand despite having no hand in its initial creation. Reynold’s marketable style of comedy lends itself well to creating these entertaining adverts, and sales of the spirit have risen steadily since he came aboard. 

02. KFC

Although it’s been a long time since Harlan Sanders owned Kentucky Fried Chicken – better known as KFC – his face is still synonymous with the brand. Colonel Sanders (an honorary title, not military) created the famous KFC recipe in the 1940s and stayed at the helm of the company until he sold it in 1964. His involvement didn’t end there however, and until his death in 1980 he remained a spokesman for the company – eventually becoming its iconic mascot in modern advertising. 

03. Newman’s Own

Actor Paul Newman created the brand Newman’s Own in 1982. This non-profit food company started with a salad dressing, eventually evolving into a range of food and drink products sold in stores internationally. Newman helmed the brand and its accompanying charity Newman’s Own Foundation until his death in 2008. Despite his passing, Newman’s image is still used on all the packaging and marketing which contributes to the actor’s lasting legacy as a passionate philanthropist. 

04. Virgin

Since its creation in the 1970s, Sir Richard Branson has frequently cameoed in advertisements for Virgin and its subsidiaries – making the British billionaire a recognisable figure in households around the country. While rarely starring in the adverts, he’s adopted a Stan Lee-style of briefly appearing in videos promoting his companies. In the video below, Branson makes a fleeting appearance firing the starting shot that propels Usain Bolt to victory. By making these cameos, Branson assures the memorability of his link to the brands without sacrificing too much of his time. 

05. Warburtons

This family business has been around since 1876, and a Warburton is still at the helm. Warburtons has launched a series of successful adverts in the last 10 years, featuring prominent celebrities from The Muppets to Robert de Niro. Alongside them stars Jonathan Warburton, the current chairman of the company. Often filming with professional actors, the adverts routinely poke fun at his lack of acting expertise – staying seated behind a desk while the action plays out around him. 

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