News 2003
US Hip Hop Superstar Busta Rhymes to star in Virgin Mobile's Christmas ad campaign
20/11/2003
Virgin Mobile, the UK’s fastest growing network, will tomorrow unveil its latest ‘Devil Makes Work for Idle Thumbs’ advert, starring US hip hop superstar Busta Rhymes. The £4 million campaign - making it the company’s largest campaign to date – continues the theme of ‘The Devil Makes Work for Idle Thumbs’, promoting Virgin Mobile’s on-net 3p text tariff.
The campaign features two new films; ‘Jet’, which will run as both a 40” and a 30” execution, and ‘Hotel’, which will run as a 30” execution. The films will run on national television from November 21st until the end of December with an interactive ad running on both Sky and ITV/ITV2 via a Sky Digital Box. These will be supported by £400,000-worth of print executions, which will run across consumer titles from November until February 2004.
Continuing the ‘Devil Makes Work For Idle Thumbs’ theme of previous ads, these executions see Busta Rhymes finding that his idle thumbs can land him in some sticky situations. The adverts were shot in Miami earlier this month on two sets, one on a private jet and one in a plush hotel room. In ‘Jet’ Busta who is travelling with his very `bling’ actual entourage, is seen idly pressing buttons while seated on an aircraft toilet, and accidentally flushing himself half way down the loo. In ‘Hotel’, Busta’s toying with a remote control results in his accidentally opening the room’s curtains and revealing his modesty to a horde of screaming fans and paparazzi who are camped outside his hotel. Both of the tongue-in-cheek ads end with the strapline `The Devil Makes Work for Idle Thumbs’, keep yours busy text another Virgin Mobile for just 3p.
The use of Busta Rhymes continues the use of high-profile music stars in Virgin Mobile’s advertising campaigns. The two recent Wyclef ads, featuring American recording artist and producer Wyclef Jean, were hugely popular for their use of tongue-in-cheek humour. These followed the ads starring American R and B singer Kelis, and Melanie Blatt of All Saints photocopying her bottom!
James Kydd, brand director at Virgin Mobile, said: “Mobile network advertising tends to be either very bland or very odd. Conversely we consistently try to be distinctive and relevant. The use of Busta in hip-hop superstar mode in tandem with the 3p text message helps us to move on the highly successful idle thumbs campaign to a new level. Whilst not the easiest ads to shoot the end result is stunning and we’re really confident we will stand out from the mass of averageness on TV this Christmas.”
Directed by Paul Hunter, who has been responsible for directing a number of high profile music videos and stars including the recent Britney/Madonna video `Me against the music’ has worked with Busta on a variety of music videos in the past, the campaign was created by Richard Denney and Dave Henderson at Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R, with media buying by MGOMD.
