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Mr. Bill makes a comeback

by Allison Waldman, posted Jun 3rd 2008 10:03AM
mr. billOne of the greatest -- and most resilient -- characters in the history of Saturday Night Live is making a comeback. Or maybe he's just taking a paycheck. Mr. Bill is the star of a new MasterCard debit card "Priceless" commercial. He's going to depict how even someone like Mr. Bill is tough enough to survive the rough financial times in which we live, just by using his MasterCard debit card.

The new 30-second commercials will begin airing on June 9, showing Mr. Bill as a typical guy heading in to work at the office. Naturally, along the commute, he stops for coffee and Mr. Hand scolds him accidentally. At the gym, he's catapulted off the treadmill. Later, an briefcase opens and launches him out the window. Naturally, through it all, Mr. Bill endures. Being made of clay has its pluses.

Why bring a 30 year old character from the Saturday Night Live era that evokes memories of John Belushi and Gilda Radner? Because the target audience for these ads are the Baby Boomers who watched SNL when a weekly Mr. Bill film was part of every show. Those boomers are today struggling financially and could use the advice Mr. Bill's dispensing about using the debit card which only lets you spend what you have in the bank.

For Mr. Bill, doing commercials has been his main meal ticket since losing his SNL gig. His resume includes Burger King, Lexus, Pringles and Ramada Inn.

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John

'... mr. hand scalds him accidentally.' perhaps?

June 03 2008 at 12:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Oreo

"the debit card which only lets you spend what you have in the bank. "

That's what a debit card is. Maybe the problems the baby boomers are having is the fact they don't know what a debit card is.

June 03 2008 at 10:58 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bas

Oooooooh Noooooo, another memory used to shill in a commercial. Mr. Bill can use his MC debit card to pruchase the Go Phone that Meatloaf is shilling in another commercial.

June 03 2008 at 10:25 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
MERVE-THE-PERVE

Is Mr. Bill a member of SAG? He has to work enough to qualify for his health insurance benefits.

June 03 2008 at 10:23 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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