Mr. Opportunity should stop knocking. Honda’s found a new (and human) spokesman.
The animated character was known for his appearances in the automaker’s commercials for clearance events –- and for irritating legions of consumers with his blandness.
The “I Hate Mr. Opportunity!” Facebook page is filled with distaste for his “carefully ironed khaki trousers” and his similarity to “your high school geometry teacher.” The group’s description says: “Every time his commercials air, his personality grates on us, like the proverbial pebble in our collective shoe.”
Last year, one of Mr. Opportunity’s ads was voted the third worst in the country by visitors to the Consumerist blog, behind spots from Staples and Quiznos.
But lately, those viewers have noticed Mr. Opportunity’s absence from television screens and radio waves. Former "Seinfeld" actor Patrick Warburton is in his place on-air, calling himself an "all-out-multimedia-Honda-knowledge-dropping-tour-de-force.”
Warburton even takes a shot at Mr. Opportunity: “This year, they sent a man in to do a cartoon man’s job.”
The character’s demise stems from the ripple effect of the Japanese earthquake earlier this year on the supply chain and summer promotional campaigns, according to Honda’s ad agency RPA, via the Consumerist. Still, both RPA and Honda say Mr. Opportunity may not be gone for good.
Source