• by Karl Greenberg , November 16, 2010

Via Santa Monica-based RPA -- which became AOR in 2007 -- it comprises five 30-second television spots starring Shields. The company says the ads are rolling out in the next few months. In one of the unscripted spots, Shields talks about her own childhood and how everyone she knew had a La-Z-Boy recliner.

"We'd be watching cartoons, or whatever, and if dad came home? Out of there. That was the 'dad chair.' So it's funny that my family's favorite place to sit is the La-Z-Boy." She then points out that the sofa she's sitting on is an example, as is the love seat and chair. "Good luck kicking me out of my La-Z-Boy furniture now."

In another spot, she compares the wide variety of La-Z-Boy furniture to the various food preferences of her friends and family. Another spot highlights the durability of La-Z-Boy furniture by noting that the "people who made the ultimate thing to do nothing on also make the ultimate things to do everything on." The ads carry a new tag*, "Live Life Comfortably."

The commercials will air nationally on 20 networks including A&E, Bravo, CNN, ESPN, HGTV, Lifetime, TBS and USA, as well as on local market network and cable TV stations.

Four print ads feature Shields sitting in La-Z-Boy furniture in front of colorful, contemporary room groups, with quotes such as, "You'll be so surprised by everything La-Z-Boy makes, you may need to sit down." The print ads will appear in books like Better Homes and Gardens, House Beautiful and Martha Stewart Living in the U.S. and Style at Home and Canadian House and Home in Canada.

The company says Shields' personality and "strong sense of style and taste makes her right as spokesperson."

* The article was amended after being posted.