Fallon, Virgin Mobile Find Humor in TV Taboos

Inspiration meets innovation at Brandweek, the ultimate marketing experience. Join industry luminaries, rising talent and strategic experts in Phoenix, Arizona this September 23–26 to assess challenges, develop solutions and create new pathways for growth. Register early to save.

NEW YORK This year’s MTV Movie Awards program was taped, edited and bleeped—a nod to the obscenity frenzy stemming from Janet Jackson’s overexposure during February’s Super Bowl halftime show, which was produced by MTV for CBS. But rather than avoid the hot-button topic, Virgin Mobile USA embraced it in four quirky TV spots from Fallon in New York.

The campaign, a one-off produced in a few days, juxtaposed innocuous images such as that of a rabbit with apologetic voiceover messages like, “Due to recent crackdowns on indecency in broadcasting, Virgin Mobile will not be airing its original commercial in which you would have seen former heads of state removing tags from mattresses.”

AW+

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Spring Special

Save 30% Off an ADWEEK Subscription Today!

View Your Options

Already a member? Sign in