E.T. Returns To Elliott After 37 Years In Comcast Xfinity Multi-Platform Holiday Effort
Thursday, November 28, 2019 at 06:54PM By Barry Janoff
November 28, 2019: Last year, Macaulay Culkin reprised his role as Kevin McCallister in a humorous reboot of the 1982 movie, Home Alone, for a Google Assistant commercial.
Now, Comcast is bringing back E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial with original star Henry Thomas (Elliot) and E.T. for a multi-platform effort supporting its Xfinity’s roster of devices and services.
The full four-minute mini-film, “Xfinity 2019 A Holiday Reunion,” shows E.T. again landing on Earth and meeting Elliott, who now is married with kids (a son reminiscent of the younger Elliott himself, a daughter who looks like his original sister, Gertie, played by Drew Barrymore).
According to Comcast, “The holidays are a special time for family and friends to reconnect. This year, we’re sharing a holiday short story of connection by reuniting two beloved characters — E.T. and Elliott.
“Although the world has changed since they’ve last seen each other, their enduring friendship reminds all of us how important reconnecting is during the holiday season.”
Having traveled from another planet. E.T. is unfamiliar with Earth’s Internet, mobile phones and other Xfinity high-tech offerings.
It recreates many of the classic scenes from the Steven Spielberg produced and directed film released by Universal — now owned by Comcast — updated from 1982 to 2019. Original music from John Williams is also part of the creative.
Comcast said that Spielberg approved of the activation and was consulted throughout the process.
A two-minute version of the spot broke on Thanksgiving Day during the Macy’s Day Parade (on Comcast owned NBC) and during national NFL broadcasts on Fox, CBS and NBC.
In addition to network and national cable networks, it will air via digital, social media and in movie theaters.
Lead agency is Goodby, Silverstein and Partners.
Comcast said it plans to go full-E.T. across a multitude of its platforms, including a dedicated Xfinity Web site, Xfinity Hangouts with an interview with Henry Thomas and a behind-the-scenes featurette and airing the original film on its SyFy channel and across the Xfinity TV roster.
SyFy is running the full four-minute creative between airings of E.T.
Xfinity X1 customers who say “E.T. Phone Home” into their Voice Remote can find the movie and unlock a destination of E.T. content.
“Our goal is to show how Xfinity and Sky technology connects family, friends and loved ones, which is so important during the holidays,” Peter Intermaggio, svp-marketing communications for Comcast Cable, said via the company.
“The classic friendship between E.T. and Elliott resonates around the world, and their story became a very meaningful way to bring our company’s consumer technology to life.”
The campaign has no shortage of intergalactic tag line puns:
“When you want to phone home this season. Stay connected with Xfinity Mobile even when you’re worlds away, and no matter where you land.”
“Curl up together with entertainment that’s out of this world.”
“Enjoy intergalactic Internet speeds and WiFi that can handle all your surprise guests with our xFi Gateway modem + router.”
“Enjoy a reunion 3 million light years in the making. And explore a whole universe of entertainment right in your home this holiday.”
The campaign will run in the U.S. and across Europe (through Sky) this winter.
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