Anchorman 2 release date nears – top 10 publicity stunts

Posted on 25 November 2013
By James McAllister
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Will Ferrell’s’s character and comedy legend Ron Burgundy has been on the road for the last few months creating a trail of havoc. All in the name of publicity for the hotly anticipated Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, Ron has been in the centre of the public eye where ever he goes.

From riding a tandem bike around Amsterdam with Daft Punk to addressing the British public in a PSA about piracy, Burgundy has found himself in some bizarre situations across the globe.

We have created a list of some of our favourite moments from Burgundy’s PR tour.

10) Ron Burgundy appears in Dodge ads.

Ron Burgundy has appeared in a number of recent adverts for American car company Dodge.

Coinciding with the release of Dodge’s new SUV the Durango, the company released the spoof adverts that featured the car with Ron stood next to it spouting famous lines like “it’s so good it’ll make your brain hurt.”

In the month following the stunt Dodge announced that they experienced a 59% increase in sales as a result.

But, in a recent interview on American TV Burgundy came clean about the adverts claiming “It’s a terrible car. I drove it four feet and it cracked in half.”

It’s clear Burgundy is willing to say anything for money and a shock factor.

9) An Anchorman Exhibit at the Washington ‘Newseum’.

Burgundy has never been an icon of hard hitting journalism, but he scored himself a whole exhibit next in Washington’s museum of news.

The exhibit, which featured famously features his jazz flute, leisure suits and the Sex Panther cologne, appeared along side very real exhibits about the Watergate scandal and the JFK assassination.

The museum agreed to feature the spoof exhibition in order to encourage more visitors.

Ford Bell, president of the American Alliance of Museums said, “Someone may go to Newseum to see Anchorman, but that’s not all they’re going to see. The genius of museums is that once you’re in the door, you’re hooked. You can’t walk in and see one thing.”

8) Kanye West album featuring Paul Rudd.

It may not feature the legend himself, but it was Burgundy who started the rumour that Kanye West was teaming up with Paul Rudd, the actor who plays Biran Fanatana in Anchorman.

The idea that Kanye and Paul could create an album is little more than a rumour started at the MTV EMA awards. But given the caliber of celebrities that have gotten involved with the Anchorman 2 PR tour, the off hand comment has raised so many eye brows.

7) Ben & Jerry’s ‘Scotchy Scotch Scotch’ flavored ice cream.

Last month US ice cream company Ben & Jerry have announced they intend to give a limited edition run of a flavour they are calling ‘Scotchy Scotch Scotch’ that is being endorsed by Channel 4’s finest.

Disappointingly the flavour contains butterscotch and not Ron’s favourite tipple, and you can only find the limited edition flavour in a handful of stores across America, making it as exclusive as Ron himself.

The ice cream company say the flavour is ‘kind of a big deal.’

6) Burgundy’s partnership with Jameson Irish Whiskey.

Those who were disappointed to hear that ‘Scotchy Scotch Scotch’ actually contained none of Ron’s beloved whiskey will be pleased to hear that Jamesons have teamed up with Ron Burgundy to bring out a batch of whiskey that features Ron’s face front and center on the label.

The Irish whiskey company have also obtained exclusive rights to show experimental preview screenings of Anchorman 2 in London, Leeds and Manchester.

5) Burgundy will cover Roar of the Rings in Winnipeg.

In his most recent announcement Ron has accepted a challenge to cover Canada’s curling competition Roar of the Rings.

Burgundy will assist the curling broadcaster Vic Rauter to cover the commentary of the event, which is due to air next month.

Ron is a welcomed addition to the commentary and many expect him to bring more people to the event with his hilarious brand of comedy.

He has already been warming up for the event by releasing this statement,

“Marked by the gods of broadcasting and placed into this shimmering green sphere like a golden egg in hay, chosen like an unclean jackal by Noah himself, I accept your hallowed task and sing out with a battle cry worthy of your love and your wisdom, And that song is, ‘Winnipeg, get ready to paint the town Burgundy!’”

4) A College renames their school of journalism after Ron Burgundy.

In an unexpected dedication to the fake news anchor, Boston’s Emerson College announced plans to change the name of their school of communication and journalism to the ‘Ron Burgundy School of Communications’.

The change is set to happen on December 4 and Will Ferrell has said he will appear in character and share is wisdom and experience in journalism with pupils from the college.

The President of Emerson College Lee Pelton is excited about the visit.

He said: “Ron Burgundy understands the power of media, as well as hairspray, firsthand.”

3) Ron and Daft Punk took to Amsterdam on a tandem bike.

A video of Ron Burgundy and legendary french dance duo Daft Punk has been shared around the world.

In a stunt for the MTV EMA awards this year Burgundy shot a video with Daft Punk in which he attempted to interview them before riding around Amsterdam shouting hysterical things like, “Look, we’re like a human centipede!”

The video is both glorious and nightmarish at the same time but it worked perfectly to create international buzz for Anchorman 2.

2) Ron Burgundy serenaded Toronto Mayor Rob Ford on late night TV.

When appearing on Conan O’brien’s late night show, Will Ferrell’s character took to the stage to sing a song for Toronto’s mayor Rob Ford.

Ford is a popular figure in the media at the moment for admitting to using crack cocaine, among other controversies.

It seems the mayor can rest easy though because Burgundy is fighting his cause. Live on American TV the Anchorman character took to the stage and sang Loverboy’s 1981 hit Working for the Weekend, the song Ford chose for his 2014 re-election campaign song.

Support from the fictional character may not seem like much but Will Ferrell’s Ron Burgundy character has a way of drawing attention to him, and he was thanked for that by the troubled mayor.

1) Burgundy’s new biography.

In quite possibly the biggest show of dedication to his PR trail Will Ferrell has written a 224 page memoir called Let Me Off at the Top: My Classy Life and Other Musing.

Burgundy said about the book: “It turns out I’m a great book writer. I’ve always been a great anchorman, and great flute player and a great collector of fine leather-bound manuscripts – low and behold I can really write one heck of a book.”

High praise.

The book went on sale last week and is set to be a big seller this Christmas.

These are just our select favourites from what is looking to be a game changing PR tour, and Anchorman 2 isn’t even out until December 18.

A collaboration with the fictional character seems to be mutually beneficial for both parties, so we can expect many more high profile appearances of Ron before the movie is released.

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