Will 2007 be the year of old icons reincarnated? Possibly. So far we've seen Orville Redenbacher and Uncle Ben brought back. Now Gallo is bringing back 80s icons Frank and Ed for Bartles & Jaymes.
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Still, Frank and Ed, who starred in Bartles & Jaymes ads from 1985-1991, will be popping up in unexpected places. To kick off the brand's new two-year plan, classic TV ads showing the original salt of the earth spokesmen sitting on their porch are now being seeded across the Web. "Ed took out a second mortgage on his house and wrote to Harvard for an MBA, and we're preparing to enter the wine cooler business," said Frank in one vintage ad. "We will keep you posted on how it's going." Followed by the tag: "Thank you for your support." Also from the original push, Frank and Ed cardboard standees will appear at POP. Moving forward, auditions to replace the first Frank (played by David Rufkhar, who died in 1996) and Ed (Dick Maugg) are now being held. "It's interesting to have 60 Frank and Eds sitting in a room, especially in the middle of Los Angeles," said Owens. The new Frank and Ed soon will begin to appear at media-centric red carpet happenings such as movie premieres and sporting events. "We're getting them off the porch and placing them in 'fish out of water' situations where you wouldn't expect to see them," said Owens, adding that women 25-35 are the next target. New TV spots are being discussed. The Strategic Group, New York, handles. Bartles & Jaymes and Seagram's Coolers both are malt beverages, California Coolers is made from wine and fruit juice and is lightly carbonated. "This is our key point of differentiation," said Warwick. "Dream it . . . live it" print, created in-house, will break this summer.
