• by Karl Greenberg , February 12, 2010

Nationwide Insurance has found the world's greatest spokesperson ... in the world. It took a helicopter ride into the hinterlands, and a little cajoling, to convince the man to return to society and pitch for Nationwide. Which he agreed to do, but only if he got a list of everyone with insurance and a blue phone.

All the details, entirely fictive, are revealed in a campaign with a 60-second spot that aired during the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games. The effort includes WorldsGreatest Spokesperson.com, about the character's past fame, his previous work on things like a PSA called "Bears are Dangerous," and one about the danger of germs, and his decision to leave it all behind and chop wood in the mountain snow because he "cared too much."

The site also has things like faux interviews with the spokesperson, and a vignette with former fictive Nationwide pitchman Fabio. There will also be elements on Twitter and Facebook and eleven viral videos highlighting his career in the spokesperson business. Videos will include clips from his starring role in a fictive feature film, "Talk Back 2." There will also be online advertisements, and additional TV spots to air later that focus on Nationwide products.

The campaign, the first major effort for Nationwide by McKinney, tapped last year as AOR, broke in 16 regional markets during the Olympics and nationally Feb. 13 during the NASCAR Nationwide Series race in Daytona and the Daytona 500 on Feb.14, per the company.