MasterCard Resurrects Mr. Bill For Debit Card Advertisements

Rumors of Mr. Bill's demise at the hands of Mr. Hands and Sluggo are greatly exaggerated. More than 30 years after the clay figure first appeared on NBC-TV's Saturday Night Live, with his trademark yelp, "Oh, noooo," Mr. Bill will be starring in advertisements for MasterCard Worldwide's debit card. During regular appearances on the late-night television show for seven years, Mr. Bill was stabbed, set on fire, scalped, flattened and maimed—just to name a few of the indignities he endured. So why bring back the long-suffering star? "Mr. Bill is an iconic character who is always on the receiving end of situations Mr. Hands bestows upon him. In our new spot, we put a sunny twist on Mr. Bill's adventures," Chris Jogis, MasterCard vice president of U.S. brand development, tells CardLine. The "Priceless" television spots will begin Monday. Although Mr. Bill likely will be best-remembered by consumers over the age of 35, MasterCard is not using the character to market to any particular group, according to Jogis, who cites "mass-market" as the chosen demographic for the ads. "Instead of using cash, debit MasterCard is a tool that helps consumers monitor and manage expenses, empowering them to be the financial hero of their everyday lives," Jogis says of the message MasterCard is trying to convey with the Mr. Bill ads.