NBC5's Scruggs/Barrie get their Geico on
04/06/09 02:02 PM
By ED BARK
This one's genius -- or at least it's in the neighborhood.
Riffing off Geico's caveman double-take on an automated airport walkway, NBC5 has a new 30-second spot in which relative newcomer Matt Barrie encounters his bossman's over-sized advertisement for himself.
Barrie, who joined the D-FW station during last year's Dallas Cowboys training camp, has been teaming with NBC5's entrenched Newy Scruggs on Sunday night's Out of Bounds sports program. They throw a little smack at each other after taking turns running down the big sports stories of the day and week.
It's the only time that either of them really get to stretch out. NBC5's truncated, two-part 10 p.m. sports segments are wrapped around extended commercial breaks.
Scruggs and Barrie are a better promotional fit than Scruggs and straitlaced NBC5 meteorologist David Finfrock used to be. The station portrayed them as a quintessential odd couple in spots that aired shortly after Scruggs arrived at NBC5 in Spring 2000.
Barrie is super-caffeinated compared to Finfrock. And Scruggs seems to enjoy having the kid around. At least they're trying to do something a little different during their Sunday night time together. And spots like this help to seal the deal. Take a look and then give me your take.