NBCU Launching Faux PSA Ads for ‘Zoolander 2’

Paramount Pictures will be promoting its upcoming film Zoolander 2 across NBCUniversal platforms with a campaign that spoofs NBC’s “The More You Know” PSA campaign.

The ads are created by NBCU’s in-house Content Innovation Agency and feature the movie’s star Ben Stiller, who plays male model Derek Zoolander, in parody of PSAs pushing the message “The Outside Matters,” emphasizing the importance of appearance.

The spots—tailored to fit each network’s audience—will appear on NBC, USA, Bravo, E! and Telemundo, as well as on those networks’ digital and social platforms.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The movie premieres Friday.

"Derek Zoolander fans old and new will appreciate his distinct approach to NBCUniversal’s iconic PSA,” said Steve Siskind, president of domestic marketing at Paramount Pictures. “The combination of the renowned ‘The More You Know’ campaign and Zoolander’s cultural legacy were a natural fit and will make you think about this venerable campaign in wholly new ways.”

NBCU-owned online movie ticket service Fandango will release all these videos across its website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds. Bonus content will be available on the site.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzNqRbLq8oA[/embed]

“I can’t underscore enough the power of contextually relevant content that engages fans of the franchise and attracts new audiences,” said John Harrobin, chief marketing officer, advertising sales, at NBCUniversal. “That’s exactly what this humorous campaign does, while staying true to the film’s spirit. There is no one better to raise awareness about this movie than Derek Zoolander himself, through parody PSAs tailored to each of our diverse audiences at scale.”

Zoolander 2 stars Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, Penélope Cruz, Kristen Wiig, Fred Armisen, Kyle Mooney, Milla Jovovich, Christine Taylor and Justin Theroux. Stiller also directed.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.