Warburtons’ new campaign featuring Hollywood legend Robert de Niro has certainly divided opinion; depending on which side of the fence you sit, “Bob” has either wrecked his reputation or enhanced it. One thing is certain, however, it has received plenty of press coverage and the ad hasn’t even broken yet.
In the commercial, De Niro arrives at the Warburton bakery – in Bolton – as company chairman Jonathan Warburton’s PA announces that “Robert De Niro’s waiting”. He then bursts through the office door and replies: “No I’m not. Jonathan what do you call this? Bolton bakes best bagel, my butt,” as he slams down a newspaper report.
De Niro then goes on to explain how he is going to take over the family business, as he seeks to wreck Warburton’s own bagel sales in favour of New York brands.
Mobster-pastiche scenes follow, including a Warburtons’ security guard being tied up, the relabelling of products to his own ‘Goodbagels’ and the burying of Warburton bagels – “Goodfellas-style” – in an attempt to maintain a monopoly on the market.
As the ad draws to a close, Jonathan Warburton says: “Sounds like a great film, how does it end?” To which De Niro responds, “it doesn’t end well” as one of his henchmen prepares to tape up the chairman’s mouth.
The ad, which breaks on May 17, was devised by Engine and Freuds.
So, what is the consensus around the Decision Marketing office? Robert De Niro? What’s not to like? Piers Morgan hates it, so we like it even more. Does it wreck the Hollywood legend’s rep? Hardly, have you never seen “Dirty Grandpa”? Will it make us chose Warburtons’ bagels over their New York Bakery Co. rivals? Possibly, but then again that all depends on which brand is on offer at our local Tesco…
Decision Marketing Adometer: 9 out of 10
