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The latest Snickers ads with Master P and Patrick Ewing got me thinking why this hasn’t happened more often.

Have you ever received a creative brief that left you scratching your head for great ideas? Me neither. But in a hypothetical case where that were to ever happen to you, this seems to be a fix-all solution to keep in your desk drawer.

What solution you may ask? Insert “has-been” celebrity*

Nothing breaks through the clutter more than content with an old celebrity. Currently, the leading benefactor of this advertising band-aid has to be MC Hammer. Mr. Hammer has promoted everything from Nationwide Insurance to ESPN Monday Night Football. He was even featured in Cash4Gold’s Super Bowl spot this past February. Seriously, he has become the Peyton Manning of former celebs. While I know his cameos help solve his past money issues, I wonder why Hammer won’t share the spotlight or better yet why haven’t brands moved on to other faded stars?

There are plenty of out of work former celebs that would make for great advertising.

Imagine special cameos from the following:

- Ed Alonzo, better known as Max from ‘Saved By the Bell’, would be great for restaurant chains looking to reach youth

- Punky Brewster, aka Soleil Moon Frye, is made to showcase a new urban clothing line

- Chris Smith & Chris Kelly, formerly known as Kris Kross, come back to promote an overpriced vodka now that they are of age (sorry Diddy)

- Ralph Macchio, The Karate Kid, could do great work for an energy drink

- Gordon Shumway, or as the Tanners referred to him Alf, could be spokesman for an airline that goes everywhere

- Demond Wilson, who played Lamont in ‘Sanford & Son’, could recommend bargain shopping chains

All of that to say, marketers have only scratched the surface with “has-been” celeb cameos. Imagine the creativity waiting if we could just get Hammer out of the way.

*It is similar to the insert animal solution with less manure and more red M&Ms.