Mastercard Trots the Priceless ‘Icons’ Back onto the Stage

mastercard-icons.jpg

Icons,” a McCann-Erickson/NY spot that aired during the ’05 Super Bowl, is a fond standby of Mastercard’s “Priceless” campaign.

Prep for serious warm-fuzzy syndrome: it’s composed of brand mascots — Count Chocula, the Vlasic stork, Jolly Green Giant, Pillsbury Doughboy — having Soul Food-style dinner as Mr. Clean slaves merrily at the sink. A lot of the icons weren’t even animated for TV prior to this. (Thank Calabash for bringing them to life.)

Too much good stuff. There’s even some illicit Facebooky pokeage between Doughboy and Morton Salt girl. Scandale!


Anywho, the ad’s being re-aired. It’s a total cash-saving tactic, but it’s refreshing to see these old faces again — especially now that people are racing back to values they mistakenly believe once sustained them. (Nostalgia’s no permanent salve, but I feel past-due for a revisit with crinkle-eyed mascots that weren’t constantly trying to swat me with the hipster stick.)

Brace yourself: this is the first of a handful of “Priceless” pieces that’ll be regroomed and recirculated.

Picture of Steve Hall

Steve Hall

RECENT ARTICLES

TRENDING AROUND THE WEB

Long practice appears to reshape attention from the inside out

Long practice appears to reshape attention from the inside out

Hack Spirit

Mindfulness begins long before peace: it begins with learning to stay

Mindfulness begins long before peace: it begins with learning to stay

Hack Spirit

The fire at a Zen monastery is a reminder that Buddhist teachings are meant to be lived, not admired

The fire at a Zen monastery is a reminder that Buddhist teachings are meant to be lived, not admired

Hack Spirit

Oxford’s expanding mindfulness research reflects a deeper shift in how inner life is being understood

Oxford’s expanding mindfulness research reflects a deeper shift in how inner life is being understood

Hack Spirit

In a distracted age, learning to notice may be a form of self-protection

In a distracted age, learning to notice may be a form of self-protection

Hack Spirit

As social media’s emotional cost becomes harder to ignore, a quieter inner life is starting to look radical

As social media’s emotional cost becomes harder to ignore, a quieter inner life is starting to look radical

Hack Spirit