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Blues boss lands TV ad role
Sep 8 2005
By Lisa Smith, Evening Mail
CYNICS might think Blues have more chance of reaching Amarillo than Europe.
But that didn't worry boss Steve Bruce when he netted the lead role in a new TV ad based on comic Peter Kay's spoof hit.
Bruce and his coaching staff will be seen by millions of TV viewers after Coronation Street tomorrow night in the new commercial for Barclays, who are sponsors of the Premier League.
The ad, created by Bartle, Bogle and Hegarty, is being aired for the first time at 8pm to raise awareness of a new promotion for the Barclays Additions Plus current account.
It features Bruce and assistant coaches Eric Black and Terry Bullivant sitting in the dug-out at the match between Blues and Spurs at St Andrew's last season.
The ad, filmed around the Premiership encounter complete with the real crowd, features Bruce staring at the scoreboard as it registers a nil-nil result.
Bruce and his coaches look suitably bored and start gargling with water from their water bottles to the tune of the Tony Christie classic which recently returned to the top of the charts after a 30 year absence.
The ad then goes on to explain that normally 0-0 would be a dull result but at Barclays it means a good one with nought per cent interest.
Jim Hytner, marketing director, said: "We chose Steve as he was one of six Barclays Premiership managers we worked with on a previous commercial in April last year which also featured Bolton's Sam Allardyce, Villa's David O'Leary, Saints' Harry Redknapp, Manchester United's Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsenal's Arsene Wenger.
"It must have taken Steve 60 takes to get the gargling just right but the end result is fantastic."
