Aaron's Brings Laughter to Talladega with New Comedic Commercials Featuring Michael Waltrip and Mark Martin

ATLANTA, May 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- This weekend during the Aaron's 499 Talladega NASCAR Sprint Cup race broadcast on FOX, Aaron's, Inc. will premiere the latest two spots of its 2012 NASCAR advertising campaign.  Both TV commercials feature a comedic portrayal of NASCAR's "Odd Couple" – Aaron's drivers Mark Martin and Michael Waltrip. The first spots of the campaign launched earlier this year.

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"When I first read the scripts they made me laugh out loud, so I know people are going to love them," said Mark Martin.

Aaron's Chief Operating Officer Ken Butler said, "I knew right away that we really have something special to work with in the pairing of Mark Martin and Michael Waltrip. They couldn't be more different. Mark is 5'6", Michael is 6'5". Mark is neat and organized; Michael is, let's just say, neat-challenged. Mark is serious, Michael is... never serious. They are truly an odd couple, with one very nice thing in common: they both love Aaron's."

"I don't care who you are, when you see Mark and me side by side, it's really funny," said Michael Waltrip. The campaign will feature a series of six commercials total, and the two that air this weekend will showcase Mark Martin and Michael Waltrip telling stories about how opposite they are from one another.

In one spot, Martin is making a futile attempt to clean up after Waltrip. "He's actually a little bit piggish. He's a mess!" Martin explains in the commercial. In another spot, Waltrip complains of Martin, "I wish he didn't correct me all the time....or be so Mark with me."

The commercials were shot on location in Cornelius, North Carolina, at the Michael Waltrip Racing facility. The spots were co-written, produced and directed by Aaron's own, David Wolff, Director of Strategy and Creative Development. Wolff said about working with Martin and Waltrip, "I couldn't be happier with their performances. Mark was really worried beforehand, but he is truly fantastic in the spots. Michael and I collaborated up front to develop the scenes. And I must say, he is a super-talented actor/comedian."

The new installments will air four different times during the race, as well as two airings of the campaign's original spots. The original spot will also receive one pre-race airing.

The new commercials can be seen at www.Aarons.com/TV as well as the originals, and a making-of video of the shoot with Martin and Waltrip.

About Aaron's, Inc.

Aaron's, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), the nation's leader in the sales and lease ownership and specialty retailing of residential furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories, has more than 1,960 Company-operated and franchised stores in 48 states and Canada. Founded in 1955 by entrepreneur and current Chairman R. Charles Loudermilk, Sr. and headquartered in Atlanta, Aaron's has been publicly traded since 1982. For more information, visit www.aarons.com.

SOURCE Aaron's, Inc.