Freesat heads back into orbit with new TV ad

Freesat has today announced a new television advertising campaign to launch next week, focusing the 'catch-free TV' offer of its satellite platform.

The campaign, titled "Freesat. Satellite TV made easy", marks a return to the Freesat 1 imaginary satellite space station orbiting the earth, populated by 'Team Freesat' who featured in the company's advertising earlier in the year.

In the new advert, team members Stanley, Stu and Izzy endure an unwelcome visit from a "spaceship-to-spaceship salesman" called Lance, played by Rich Fulcher, the actor best known for playing Bob Fossil in The Mighty Boosh.

Lance's "complicated and confusing sales pitch" to Team Freesat turns out to be "the antithesis of Freesat's straightforward offer: brilliant TV for a one-off payment with no monthly bills".

The 30-second advert was directed by Paul King, whose credits include BAFTA-nominated The Mighty Boosh and the Matt Lucas and David Walliams comedy Come Fly With Me.

The ad will launch on Monday (November 21) during I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here on ITV1, and run until January 2012. Freesat will support the ad with digital and social media activity, including video on-demand pre-roll ads and advertorials.

Freesat marketing and communications director Will Abbott said: "We've brought Team Freesat back together on Freesat1 to create an entertaining campaign with a simple message: that in the face of increasing complexity and choice Freesat offers customers an easy way to enjoy brilliant TV, catch-free."

Freesat, the platform jointly owned by the BBC and ITV, recently passed the milestone of 2m sales of products such as set top boxes and integrated TVs since its launch in May 2008.

The company also launched ITV Player on its service, joining the already available BBC iPlayer.

Freesat said today that a range of "next-generation products" will hit stores in early 2012, with more details to follow shortly.

Watch Freesat's new TV commercial below: