• by Aaron Baar , July 8, 2008

American Express touts the travel benefits its Platinum Card brings to consumers with its latest television commercial featuring comedienne Tina Fey and filmmaker Martin Scorsese.

The television spot, which began airing last week, depicts Fey trying to meet with Scorsese in an airport club reserved for an airline's elite members, after he says he has some "important business" to discuss with her. Stuck with a coach ticket, Fey tries to use celebrity to get by the club's front desk, but to no avail. It's only after she brings out an American Express platinum card that she gains entry. The spot closes with Scorsese trying to sell Fey a timeshare in Boca.

"American Express has a long history of providing unique access points and benefits to make the travel experience a little easier for our Card members, since traveling is an important part of their lives," said Deborah Curtis, the company's vice president of advertising, in a statement. "Bringing together Tina Fey and Martin Scorsese to instill humor into the adventures of traveling illustrates that you're being taken care of when your American Express card is along for the ride."

A corresponding print campaign, with photographs from Annie Leibovitz portraying Fey as a savvy world traveler, will begin appearing in publications later this month.

Fey originally appeared in an American Express campaign last year that depicted a day in her life as a writer and producer of a hit television show. After making various production-based decisions, a representative of American Express calls to alert Fey to some questionable charges, and saying they'd be removed without a hassle. Scorsese has appeared in American Express commercials for several years.

American Express has recently begun leveraging its history of helping travelers in its marketing programs. In May, the company created its own online community, www.membersknow.com, for travelers to come together and share experiences. The site, open to American Express cardholders who have activated Internet accessibility on their accounts, includes content from the company's Travel + Leisure publication as well as chat rooms for sharing insider tips and lists of local favorite hotspots.