When Whirlpool Corporation acquired its biggest competitor, we were awarded the entire portfolio of brands, including Maytag. But the Maytag Repairman had been left out of their advertising for several years, as he was seen as outdated. We planned to revive the character and the brand through a series of non-traditional initiatives. First, we had to find a new Repairman. Instead of going the conventional route to find an actor, we held a multi-city open casting call, inviting the public and media. It was a smashing success and resulted in relaunching the brand before the first spot ever aired. Never did I think we’d win awards just for the casting process but we did. In the end, a humble realtor from Virginia was chosen to wear the iconic blue uniform.
All Projects: Strategy / Creative Direction / Art Direction
Agency: Publicis NY
Finding New Purpose
The Maytag Repairman is one of the longest-running, live-action icons in advertising history. People remember Jesse White or Gordon Jump in the role when he was seen as bored and lonely. Our revival of the character would pivot on a different world outlook. No longer a dour, old pessimist, our Repairman would be upbeat and proactive. If he couldn't repair Maytags, then he'd find other ways to fill his time.
Torture Test Campaign
Much like cars, the appliance category is heavily driven by retail partnerships. To reinforce Maytag's new brand strategy, we developed a product-driven campaign that ran alongside the new Repairman's adventures. In a series of surprising vignettes, various aspects of the products were highlighted and pushed to their extremes. While the scenarios were over-the-top, the product performance was always based in reality. No tricks or visual effects were ever used. Everything was shot live, in-camera and in real-time. This approach helped Maytag reconnect with their heritage of superior quality and engineering. It also allowed retailers to add their promotional tags to a more
product-focused message.
What’s He Been Up To?
Another way to bring new energy to the Repairman character and the brand was to get him out into the real world. This allowed us to create viral moments and PR opportunities, acting as a brand ambassador. With nothing to do, social media would be the perfect way for him to interact with the public. People even invited him to various events and venues to help him be more productive with his time since he didn’t have any Maytags to repair.