Aflac Holding Online Casting Call To Replace Gilbert Gottfried

Aflac is attempting to make the best of its most recent social media faux pas with a national casting call to replace the exiting Gilbert Gottfried as the voice of its duck mascot.

Later today, the insurer plans to update quackaflac.com, a site where prospective voiceover actors can go to submit audio and video files of themselves. Aflac will also hold auditions in six cities. The brand will promote the effort on its Facebook Page and Twitter feed, says spokesman Jon Sullivan.

“We’re handling it like a job interview,” says Sullivan. “This is not a contest.” Sullivan declined to say what the job pays. Aflac, whose advertising is handled by New York ad agency Kaplan Thaler Group, will also advertise the posting on Monster.com. The brand hopes to start shooting new commercials in a few months. Sullivan adds that the brand is going with a national casting call rather than a Hollywood talent agent because “in this day and age, talent can be found anywhere.” But the spokesman acknowledges that there’s also a social media benefit from taking this approach.

Aflac sacked Gottfried, who was the voice of the duck since 2000, when he tweeted some offensive thoughts on his Twitter stream about the recent earthquake in Japan including “Japan called me. They said ‘maybe those jokes are a hit in the U.S., but over here, they’re all sinking’” and “I was talking to my Japanese real estate agent. I said ‘Is there a school in this area.’ She said, ‘Not now, but just wait.’”

Gottfried has since deleted the offending tweets and offered the following sort-of apology in a statement: “I was born without a censor button. My mouth and now email will continue to get me into trouble.”

Aflac, clearly chastened by the experience, now has a link on its Facebook Page that lets consumers contribute money to the Red Cross’s relief effort in Japan. Sullivan’s comments also make it sound as though the brand is steering clear of anyone who might be remotely edgy. “We are looking for the best person to represent our brand,” he says, adding that the new voice talent must align with Aflac’s image as “philanthropic with high ethical standard.”

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