Dan Aykroyd Talks Wine and Spirits(2)
BW: When I watched your explanation at Crystalheadvodka.com I wondered if it was an elaborate ruse?
DA: I am a spiritualist, a proud wearer of the spiritualist badge. My great grandfather was a correspondent with Arthur Conan Doyle who was an author involved with the mediums and channeling activities that were going on at the time. [My grandfather] was also a member of the Lily Dale society...Medium and psychic research has gone on for many, many years. There are people who feel like they could communicate with the dead whether the dead wanted it or not. I am a long-standing believer that there is more to these four dimensions that we live in.
BW: Have you pitched any other real brands in the past?
DA: I pitched the Financial Times quite effectively when they launched their Web site. We did a massive newsprint and television campaign, which I wrote and did voiceovers for. That was very successful in getting them established as a Web presence and getting their profile up as a publishing presence in America. I've also worked with Charter Cable. My friend owns the company and asked me to do some work with them. Other than that I haven't really had that much association with the world of commercial branding. It's exciting.
BW: Is there a brand you'd like to work with?
DA: Ford Motors. Absolutely. I love Ford Motors. I am driving one now and I have three of them at home. I think they are the greatest cars on the planet. It's very sad that they are suffering during this economic downturn. I would like to pitch my family as the perfect Ford Motors family. We are early age baby boomers with a variety of vehicles that are needed in this family with two teenage driving daughters. I think I would make a great pitchman for Ford motors. I've done work for Harley mostly for their anniversary and in-store promotions. I usually get paid in machines, which I like.
BW: Did you learn anything from your days of spoofing these brands?
DA: Probably not. I'm learning as I go along here. I guess we're just going to have to feel our way. But the bottom line is the celerity name, the association, the beautiful package, the branding launch and campaign will only go so far for you. You have to have a product that really performs or else you don't have a business. Branding can be very successful like Pets.com, which was a great idea, but it just wasn't executed.
