Ameriprise Financial Inc. has brought on Tommy Lee Jones as its new pitchman in two upcoming commercials.
The two 34-second clips, slugged “Our Anthem” and “Generations” show footage of graduation celebrations and small businesses in action. Mr. Jones, best known for his roles in “Men in Black” and “No Country for Old Men,” speaks of Ameriprise's “putting clients first, helping generations through tough times and good times,” and of the insurer's never taking a bailout in its 115 years of existence.
The firm seems to have adopted a conservative tone when advertising to its baby boomer audience.
Its last spokesman was the late Dennis Hopper, who in a 2006 ad campaign insisted: “Your generation is definitely not headed for bingo night,” and who was better known for playing maniacal or substance-abusing characters in films such as “Rumble Fish” and “Blue Velvet.”
He also played the disgruntled retired bomb squad officer who plotted to blow up a bus in “Speed.”
After experiencing a recession, riding through market tumult and watching the overall global economy slide, today's boomers might be wiling to trade in some of that excitement for the reassurance of good, old-fashioned financial stability. Ameriprise seems to have picked up on that cue.
“Like other advertisers, we've had to evolve our message to reflect consumer sentiment,” said Kim Sharan, chief marketing officer and president of financial planning and wealth strategies at Ameriprise. “Our early advertising, which featured Dennis Hopper, came at a very different time in our country's history.”
Mr. Jones, on the other hand, “shares our optimism and authenticity and embodies the American spirit,” she added.
The new commercials will air this weekend during the Emmy Awards and have made their debut on YouTube and Facebook.
