Maytag Casts New 'Ol' Lonely'
By Colleen Bohen -- TWICE, 4/23/2007
BENTON HARBOR, MICH. — The Maytag Repairman has been recast following a nationwide search for the latest man fit to wear the blue uniform. Clay Jackson of Richmond, Va., will represent the new face of the brand, which was acquired by Whirlpool last year.
Jackson, a former actor who has been selling real estate for the past few years, was picked from over 1,500 contenders who responded to Whirlpool's public open call.
A new advertising campaign starring featuring Jackson will kick off in May. He will appear in a variety of TV, radio and print ads and will also begin making public appearances across North America.
Jackson is the fourth person to take up the role since the character debuted in 1967. Traditionally, the character was called Ol' Lonely and was portrayed in the ads as having nothing to do. A spokesperson for Maytag told TWICE that the repairman will likely no longer be depicted as "sitting around waiting for the phone to ring" but rather out and about in a new uniform, "interacting with pop culture."
