With cleaner streets and fewer crimes being reported by the local media, Knoxville is ready to launch a new nation-wide marketing campaign aimed at luring residents and businesses alike to the area. A local marketing firm, Shaggy-Peterson, has been contracted to develop the plan.
Wayne Shaggy, CEO of Shaggy-Peterson, is heading up the campaign. “What we want to do is relate to the rest of the world how Knoxville is a small, simplistic town, where they will feel right at home. Immediately I wanted to hire David Joseph Rufkahr and Dick Maugg for the campaign. Do you remember Bartles and Jaymes? Yeah, that’s them. Unforunately Rufkahr died in 1996. Bummer. But we may do it anyway with a standin for Frank [Bartles],” explained Shaggy. “We thought about using Tom Bodett, but he was busy making new episodes of the Animaniacs,” he added, “and besides, Bartles and Jaymes tested better with our focus groups.”
 |
| Ed and Frank to plug Knoxville. |
Commercials are set to begin filming late next month. Scouts are searching around town for an ideal front porch to film on, but a crew is standing by to erect a porch in a studio if nothing turns up. The characters will be renamed to Frank Haslam and Ed Tyree.
A sample dialog from one of the commercials was released:
Frank: Hello. I am Frank Haslam and this is my partner, Ed Tyree.
Ed: Hello
Frank: We’re here to tell you about this swell place called Knoxville.
Ed: [nods]
Frank: Gosh it’s a nice place. Great to raise a family, great place to work. And I’ll be darned if it ain’t a great place to locate your business. Ain’t that right, Ed?
Ed: [nods slowly]
Frank: So come on over to Knoxville. And thanks for your support.
The project has been given an experimental budget of $2 million, and if it is successful, will be further funded. The commercials will begin test marketing in Seattle, Los Angeles, and Boise in early summer.