Gromit to front HMV advertising

HMV, the high street music retailer, has signed Gromit, the gadget-loving dog, from the Wallace and Gromit films, as the new face of its advertising. He will take over from its iconic dog character, Nipper, in all adverts aimed at children for the next three months.

Gromit will be pictured sitting next to the HMV gramophone in a reproduction of the original 1898 His Master’s Voice oil painting. It has been created by Aardman Studios, the creators of the Oscar winning films.

The new logo will be used as part of a campaign promoting children’s DVDs and to coincide with the launch of the Aardman/Paramount title “Flushed Away”. Nipper and the original logo will be used in all other advertising

The association with Aardman is the latest part of the retailer’s ‘Be Inspired’ marketing campaign. It breaks today (Monday) and includes national press ads, London Underground posters and an in-store campaign. HMV and Aardman are also in talks about extending the campaign to an animated ad for TV and cinema.