Martini, the flagging 70s aperitif, is appealing to consumers’ vanity in
a pounds 5 million relaunch campaign through Howell Henry Chaldecott
Lury.
The TV and cinema ads, which break nationally next week, introduce the
anti-hero, Jilly Newhead - a glamorous TV presenter who proclaims the
importance of physical beauty.
In two 60-second executions, Jilly dispatches hapless, ‘ugly’ victims to
the operating theatre to have their faces improved through cosmetic
surgery. The first execution, entitled ‘Jonathan’, features a gauche-
looking young man being transformed by cosmetic surgery into a flash
dude who is then beautiful enough to drink Martini.
At the beginning of the ad, Jilly says: ‘These days, not everybody
drinks Martini. Through research we’ve discovered why. Its glamorous
image makes some people feel too self-conscious to drink it. Frankly,
they feel too ugly to drink it’
At the end of the commercial, Jilly invites viewers to call a number by
saying: ‘Do you know anyone ugly who’d like to enjoy the beautiful
drink? Would you like us to cosmetically transform their head? Call this
number - you could look as good as Jonathan.’
Rupert Howell, Howell Henry’s managing partner, said: ‘This needed to be
a very bold campaign. The brand’s image was stuck in the 70s. We have
contemporised that image, without throwing the baby out with the bath
water.’
The films were written and directed by Trev and Al, Howell Henry’s
former creative duo.
