Virgin Plus is pulling its "Obviously" campaign starring Emmy Award-winning Andre Braugher following the actor's death on Tuesday.
In an email statement to The Message, a Virgin spokesperson said that the platform is being "refreshed," and will no longer feature Braugher as its spokesperson. The ads had been in heavy rotation since the platform debuted in July.
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Andre Braugher, spokesperson and member of the Virgin Plus family," said the statement. "We offer our sincere condolences to his loved ones, friends and many fans."
The Bell flanker brand introduced the "Obviously" brand platform in July. It featured Braugher promoting the brand's unlimited 5G offer in a range of scenarios all playing on the word "obviously." In one scenario, the actor is shown using a variation of the word ("obvs") flanked by two teenagers in a high school hallway.
The ads leaned into the actor's mastery of deadpan comedy, best exemplified by his career-making turn as Captain Raymond Holt on the sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The campaign from Zulu Alpha Kilo even drew the attention of Virgin founder Richard Branson, who said on X: "Love this new campaign from VirginPlus, obviously!"
Braugher also starred in recent commercials for Xbox, but was best known for his TV and film roles. He won an Emmy for his portrayal of detective Frank Pembleton in the drama series Homicide: Life on the Street, and had many features film roles, including Glory, The Mist, and Primal Fear.
In an email statement to The Message, a Virgin spokesperson said that the platform is being "refreshed," and will no longer feature Braugher as its spokesperson. The ads had been in heavy rotation since the platform debuted in July.
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Andre Braugher, spokesperson and member of the Virgin Plus family," said the statement. "We offer our sincere condolences to his loved ones, friends and many fans."
The Bell flanker brand introduced the "Obviously" brand platform in July. It featured Braugher promoting the brand's unlimited 5G offer in a range of scenarios all playing on the word "obviously." In one scenario, the actor is shown using a variation of the word ("obvs") flanked by two teenagers in a high school hallway.
The ads leaned into the actor's mastery of deadpan comedy, best exemplified by his career-making turn as Captain Raymond Holt on the sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The campaign from Zulu Alpha Kilo even drew the attention of Virgin founder Richard Branson, who said on X: "Love this new campaign from VirginPlus, obviously!"
Braugher also starred in recent commercials for Xbox, but was best known for his TV and film roles. He won an Emmy for his portrayal of detective Frank Pembleton in the drama series Homicide: Life on the Street, and had many features film roles, including Glory, The Mist, and Primal Fear.
—With files from David Brown
