AFLAC duck gets movie role

Tue., Nov. 30, 2004

Associated Press

The fussy duck featured in the AFLAC commercials will appear in “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” and a series of ads promoting the movie.

Director Brad Silberling sought out the insurance company’s mascot – known for delivering insistent shouts of “AFLAC!” in TV ads – as a way to add comic relief in one of the scenes in the film, said Al Johnson, AFLAC’s vice president of advertising and branding.

In the upcoming movie, starring Jim Carrey, Meryl Streep and Jude Law, the duck is shown being launched off a boat. It will be identifiable, but it won’t be heard yelling its usual AFLAC plug, Johnson said.

The insurer also has agreed to spend $5 million to promote the Paramount Pictures film, which is based on the first three books in the Lemony Snicket children’s series. It opens Dec. 17.

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