Such a deserving couple!

When you're in advertising you meet lots of nice unknown actors. Most of them dream of that day when they land a national spot and become a household face. That's why it always bothers me when I see agencies who, lacking in creativity, hire a celebrity to do their spots. It's usual someone who already has a ton of money, unlike the actor waiting for a break. Among the most offensive of these celebrities is egomaniac Regis Philbin who saccharines us on TD, Advil and several other commercials. I know many people find him sweet and charming. I see him as a greedy narcissist who will leap at any opportunity to prostitute himself to be on television and pocket another million or more bucks. The latest of his pseudo-nice campaigns is for Advil, in which he brings along his wife for her share of the loot. Will people really buy more Advil because this tiresome couple use it for their tennis elbows? I don't think so. I keep thinking back to my favorite commercial of the year for Suburu with the father and daughter. Great commercial. Why? Because it was creative, warm, believable and had two new faces. I'm sure both those actors are financially better off for having landed that superb spot. Fortunately the account wasn't with an agency that would have used the increasingly aging zillionaire Regis and his his eternally cheerful and equally camera-happy wife.