Tim Palmer John Smith's cardboard cut-out No Nonsense front man has been pulped by Scottish Courage. In his place will be flesh-and-blood stand-up comedian Peter Kay, (pictured) who will make his debut in a new national TV advertising campaign on Wednesday (May 15) during the Champions League Final. The brewer insisted the decision to shred the cut out was not because his popularity was wilting. Marketing director Brian Sharp said the two dimensional brand hero had been very successful and the ads had been doing their job very well. "The worst time to move on is when the advertising has stopped working. No Nonsense Man was still going down well with consumers. There are no issues with the campaign except that it is four years old and it is time to do something else." But Simon Massey, director of brand consultancy Nine Yards, was less positive: "I drink the beer and I like the No Nonsense positioning, but I think the cardboard cut out was tired and getting difficult to relate to," he said. "He has been overused and it is definitely time for a change. "Jack Dee, the cardboard cutout's predecessor, was a very credible representative of the No Nonsense approach. Switching to cardboard was a bold move, but whatever they do now has to be innovative and different." In the new ads Kay demonstrates an individual approach to everyday situations. The first one features a group of young footballers showing of their skills. When it comes to Kay's turn he thumps the ball into a nearby garden and skips the half time oranges for a can of John Smith's. The new campaign will account for a major slice of the brewer's £20m investment in the brand this year. {{DRINKS }}

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