Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga make goo-goo eyes at each other and croon "Baby, It's Cold Outside" in this amiable holiday spot for Barnes & Noble.
"Tony and Gaga are a great mashup of classic and modern," says Amy Sacks, creative group head of Roberts + Langer DDB, which created the commercial. "This juxtaposition makes them a perfect embodiment of the brand. Barnes & Noble has something to inspire everyone, no matter your background, age or interests."
Tony looks a bit like Regis Philbin these days, and Gaga's a dead ringer for Stefani Germanotta. They've famously recorded and toured together, so the pairing makes some sense. Still, why reunite them for this particular advertiser?
"Barnes & Noble is more than a place that you buy a book," Sacks tells Adweek. "It's a place that brings people together. There's a certain energy and excitement of being around other people who share your passions."
B&N chairman Leonard Riggio chose the artists, and also penned the tagline, "You never know who you'll meet at Barnes & Noble." We wish they'd met that Oddbins fox in the aisles; he would've tied their shoelaces together, launching T-man and Gaga on a wacky yuletide trip.
Kidding aside, the duo exudes considerable charm and good cheer, and the spot's getting plenty of media coverage for Barnes & Noble at the start of the gifting season. Hey, brick-and-mortar booksellers are struggling mightily these days. Why not try Tony Bennett? We sure don't have any better strategic suggestions to stuff in the brand's stocking.
"We just loved seeing Tony and Lady Gaga working together," says Sacks. "She arrived before he did and began shooting some of her scenes, and then when he arrived we got to witness the familiarity and warmth between them when they greeted each other on set. They're genuinely sweet together."
CREDITS
Client: Barnes & Noble
Campaign: "You Never Know Who You'll Meet at Barnes & Noble"
Agency: Roberts + Langer DDB
Chief Creative Officer: Andy Langer
Executive Vice Presidents, Creative Group Heads: Lynn Mercado, Amy Sacks
Senior Vice President, Account Director: Torrey Plank
Director: Jonas Akerlund