Sean Hayes Channels Jack in Honda Accord Ad Airing During Tonight’s Will & Grace

NBC has already extended the length of this season’s Will & Grace revival, and now the network is also inserting two of the show’s stars into one of the sitcom’s ads. Tonight’s episode of the comedy will include a 90-second Honda Accord spot featuring Sean Hayes in character as his sitcom alter ego, Jack, and the voice of Megan Mullally’s Karen. In the ad, Jack is driving around in an Accord, complaining to Karen (via a phone chat using the car’s hands-free Bluetooth feature) that his agent is sending him out on auditions for all the wrong parts. The spot then shows Jack in some of his sillier audition outfits, while he explains that he’s looking for a part that is “like me, is sophisticated, yet a little surprising” (i.e., like the Accord he is driving). Finally, his agent Myrna calls with good news: “Three words: Honda. Accord. Commercial.” Jack’s elated response: “Three words for you: Per. Fect. Tion!” The 90-second ad will run in a stand-alone pod, replacing one of Will & Grace’s traditional linear commercial breaks, and will also air in the episode’s digital and VOD offerings. After the 90-second spot runs in tonight’s episode, a 30-second cut-down version of the ad, seen below, will air across NBCUniversal properties, as well as in future Will & Grace episodes. [kickout id="1"] The campaign is part of a larger NBCUniversal and Honda partnership via Symphony, NBCU’s cross-platform offering which amplifies brand messaging across its entire portfolio. Honda is the first auto brand to use Symphony to launch a vehicle, and is also the first advertiser to create branded content around Will & Grace. The show’s creators, Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, wrote the spot, which was produced by the NBC Creative Partnerships team. RPA is the agency of record for Honda Motor Co. “Honda’s mission to push beyond past success in pursuit of even greater achievements is illustrated in the creative marketing campaign and the extensive media plan for the all-new Accord,” said Susie Rossick, assistant vp, Honda Automotive Marketing. “The wide reach of the beloved Will & Grace and its enthusiastic fans makes it the perfect show for the universally loved Accord to debut.” Honda’s Symphony campaign launches with tonight’s spot, with more activations across NBCUniversal set for the next year. “There’s no better way to launch a new vehicle than with engaging, fan favorite content from the creators of Will & Grace,” said Alison Tarrant, NBCUniversal’s evp, client partnerships. “Fans cannot get enough Will & Grace and an initiative like this allows us to use storytelling to enhance our viewers’ experience in partnership with Honda.” In September, the Will & Grace revival debuted to 10.2 million viewers and a 3.0 demo rating, making it the network’s top premiere for a new or returning comedy (outside of post-Olympics previews) in six years, and the most watched telecast of a prime-time comedy series since The Office finale in May 2013. NBC has already picked the revival up for a second season.