Behind-the-Scenes with Brand Characters: Part III

The Money and Life of a Brand Face

To a struggling actor the almost $600 payout for the first shoot sounds good. The ongoing residuals sound great too. If the ads are successful the actor has the position to negotiate. An annual deal may be worked out. With a decent paycheck comes a mix of fame and anonymity. A brand’s character’s face is everywhere, without the actor’s name. And after the gig is up? Who is going to hire such a recognizable face to promote another brand?

When you’re the face of a brand, you can expect a morality clause. Because your face is so closely associated with a brand, you’re probably better off staying out of the public eye. For example when Jonathan Goldsmith (most Interesting Man in the World, Dos Equis) threw a fundraiser for President Barack Obama in September Republicans threatened to boycott the brew.

Ben Curtis, the Dell Dude from 2000-2003 was a college student at NYU. He said it was hard to be a normal kid at school. His schoolmates chided him for already having “made it.” When he was arrested in 2003? The charges were eventually dropped and so was his commercial gig. Most of the money he had made went to paying for his schooling. In 2011 he starred in an indie film called “We Are the Hartmans.” Curtis also waits tables.

What if the company screws up? In 2008, Steve Warshak of Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals was sentenced to 25 years for conspiracy, fraud, and money laundering. The legal struggles were often published adjacent to Smiling Bob’s image. Today Olcott makes a living working in advertising. He co-founded an agency in Vancouver. 

Part I

Part II

Behind-the-Scenes with Brand Characters: Part II

Intro to and Lifespan of Brand Characters

Remember “Smiling Bob” the face of Enzyte? How about the “Can you hear me now?” guy from the Verizon commercials? You know Flo from Progressive. Brand characters help consumers remember, identify and differentiate products. Especially brands without a physical counterpart.

Andrew Olcott, Smiling Bob, got the call in 2002. He could use the gig. The creative director was inspired by silent film stars who can express an idea without using a word. To get ready for the casting call, Olcott studied a photo of himself as a kid. He practiced ramping up a grin that channeled the carefree childhood smile. He ramped up the grin until it reached ridiculous proportions. The director loved it. Smiling Bob stared in 18 commercials.

You may not know the name Stephanie Courtney, but you know her. She’s the friendly Flo of the Progressive commercials. The previously unknown comedian is now readily recognized. Progressive spent $330 million on TV commercials last year alone.

Paul Marcarelli was the voice behind the Verizon tests “Can you hear me now?” from 2002 until 2011. (I know I’m guilty of repeating the question in jest.) In 2011, Marcarelli told the Atlantic that his original five-year contract prohibited him from doing other commercial work or speaking about his role as the Test Man. After the article’s release he was bombarded with interview requests. Marcarelli spent his time before and since, largely out of the public eye. 

Please comment on your favorite brand characters below. And come back next week for part three.

Behind the Scenes with Brand Characters: Part I

courtesy adweek

So, you remember my post in January on advertising techniques that introduced you to brand characters? Buckle up! You're in for a behind-the-scenes look at brand characters. In this series we'll discuss what they are, how to use them, and the disadvantages or humanizing a brand. Stay tuned!

First, the light and fluffy...


Brand characters in advertising allow a visual image beyond the logo. The personality should be consistent and complex. The target audience should be able to connect in a beneficial relationship.

Create Your Character

First choose whether you will use an imaginary character or real person. Create a dramatic role for the real person’s character. For the cartoon character try turning the product into a person or the person into a product. Create a whole spectrum of morphs and choose the best one. (Think Michelin man.)

Be advised that it will take some time for the character to become synonymous with the brand. Don’t stop too soon! The dynamic audiovisual medium attracts attention. Characters are likely to be remembered for the impact on visual and verbal areas of the brain. With characters there are no words to remember. Advertising spokes-characters are especially effective with the young. (My four-year-old loves the Geico gecko.)

In the next few weeks you'll want to be here to find out the lifespan of a brand character, what happened to Enzyte's smiling Bob, and more!