Exactly one year ago, actor Charlie Sheen was rambling about his "tiger blood" and "Adonis DNA" to anyone and everyone willing to interview him. He was simply a train wreck that the American public couldn't help themselves from watching.
Now, advertisers are hoping Sheen will once again draw viewers. Two new ads featuring Sheen - one for DirecTV and one for Fiat - started airing this month. Both ads primarily make fun of the former "Two and a Half Men" star and his reputation as a party animal constantly making bad life decisions.
These companies realize they are making a calculated risk in hiring Charlie Sheen to star in their commercials. On one hand, Charlie Sheen still captivates people, curious to see just what he'll do (or say) next. Also, in TV commercials, there are teams of professionals to control the image Sheen portrays - and to censor anything he says, if necessary! On the other hand, Sheen is not a "spokesman" in either ad - rather a comic foil in the storyline. Consumers may find him entertaining, but he's still a long way from being considered trustworthy.
While Sheen seems far more stable now than he did a year ago, I don't think anyone would be really surprised if he was back to making headlines for another "stunt" of his tomorrow morning. Advertisers take a chance when hiring stars for an ad campaign - a single bad decision on the part of the celebrity could force the company to pull the ads.
It will be interesting to see how Sheen's career continues to play out in 2012, and what the impact of these commercials will be. Personally, I think the Fiat ad doesn't make much sense - Sheen wasn't under house arrest - but the DirecTV ad is one of my favorite ads of 2012 so far. Keep up the good work, DirecTV and Charlie Sheen!
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