NEW YORK - “Mr. Bill,” the clay figure who rose to prominence in 1976 on Saturday Night Live and who has appeared in a variety of programs off and on since that time, is back.
Known for his optimism despite what could literally be “crushing” setbacks, the character is now debuting in the latest spots as part of the MasterCard “priceless” campaign. Mr. Bill helps to illustrate the versatility of debit MasterCard and positions debit for use with everyday items and recurring payments.
MasterCard said Mr. Bill is relevant today because in the current economic environment, “people are in need of help managing their finances and keep track of their spending, which debit does.” Fans of Mr. Bill will be reassured to know that in the new spots he does say “oh noooo” following a mishap.
Creative for the MasterCard “Priceless” campaign is driven by McCann Erickson/New York.
A versatile clay figure, Mr. Bill has also appeared in a 1986-live action movie, a 1980s commercial for Pringles, a 1990s campaign by Pizza Hut, a Fox Family Channel TV series in 1998, and in 2008 as a spokesperson for Subway. In 2004, he appeared in a campaign to educate people, especially children, about destruction of Louisiana’s coastal marshes and swamps, approximately 18 months before Hurricane Katrina hit. (c) 2008 The Credit Union Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved.http://www.cujournal.com http://www.sourcemedia.com
