Instagram/@rejectedjokesFireball Whisky has launched a new campaign with a very unconventional approach revealing to the public an unedited and chaotic commercial filming process that featured a crazy-haired Isaac Newton and even confessed to having one hour of unused footage from the 30-second ad. The company’s playful manner triggered a lot of laughs and reactions, and many people kindly mistook the actor for a well-known British personality.
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The clip shown gives an idea of a tumultuous and funny environment where the protagonist of Sir Isaac Newton having his slowly growing wig talks with the Fireball product. The text simply stated, ‘There’s an hour of outtakes from this 30 second spot and that’s my bad,’ along with the brand’s hashtags. This open confession prompted the followers to suggest their own comic interpretations.
One of the reactions, which was the mix-up of identities, kept coming back. Several users thought they were watching actor David Tennant. ‘For a second, I thought you convinced David Tennant to be in this ad,’ one said. Another person agreed, ‘I thought it was David Tennant playing Isaac Newton.’ The resemblance particularly through the character’s lively animation and wig, hit it right on.
On the other hand, some users were commenting about the video that it was absurd but hilarious. ‘So that’s what did Sir Isaac in,’ one user humorously related the scientist’s legendary apple accident to the whisky’s apple flavor. Another one, alongside the one who was praising the chaotic atmosphere, just wrote, ‘it’s not your bad, it’s your good!’ The physical comedy part, which involves the actor getting hits from an apple, was also highlighted. ‘I enjoyed this video so much, but why did you hit him? But anyway, great job,’ said a fan, showing the mixture of confusion and pleasure.
The actor’s unbelievable, gradually increasing hair almost became a character of its own. One person noted, ‘The hair gets bigger every time I see this man, it’s incredible’ thus stressing the spot’s unforgettably funny visual trick. Another viewer was completely overjoyed at the cross-over, saying, ‘Omg my two favorites advertising fireball dreams come true,’ although it was not clear whether they meant the historical figure and the drink or the actor and the brand.
There emerged a couple of deeper analyses in the comments section claiming that the actor might be recognized from completely different roles. One viewer exclaimed, ‘Matt McGuire what are you doing here?!’ pointing to the actor who starred in The Lizzie McGuire Movie and is still well-known. Another admirer referred to that film too, posting, ‘Finally, justice for trying to sell a VHS tape of Lizzie’s embarrassing moments to the Italian paparazzi.’ Such precise nostalgia-evoking remarks indicate that the advertisement smartly targeted a segment of the audience that enjoys such funny recollections.
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A simple yet honest plea was the one that stood out amidst all the humor and identity recognition. ‘Please post all of them,’ one user sent a note full of needy anticipation, just wanting to see the whole hour of disarrayed outtakes that the brand teased. Fireball Whisky’s advertisement is usually silly and slightly crazy, and this peek behind the curtain made it clear that the end product was indeed chaotic and entertaining. The campaign was a mixture of historical satire with contemporary brand humour thus creating one moment that was less about the liquor and more about the collective goofy fun. The cutting room, in the end, turned out to be the place where the comedic gold was mined and it was way more than the force of gravity.
