<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"Aflac is attempting to make the best of its most recent social media faux pas with a national casting call to replace the exiting Gilbert Gottfried as the voice of its duck mascot.\nLater today, the insurer plans to update quackaflac.com, a site where prospective voiceover actors can go to submit audio and video files of themselves. Aflac will also hold auditions in six cities. The brand will promote the effort on its Facebook Page and Twitter feed, says spokesman Jon Sullivan. \n\u201CWe\u2019re handling it like a job interview,\u201D says Sullivan. \u201CThis is not a contest.\u201D Sullivan declined to say what the job pays. Aflac, whose advertising is handled by New York ad agency Kaplan Thaler Group, will also advertise the posting on Monster.com. The brand hopes to start shooting new commercials in a few months. Sullivan adds that the brand is going with a national casting call rather than a Hollywood talent agent because \"in this day and age, talent can be found anywhere.\" But the spokesman acknowledges that there's also a social media benefit from taking this approach.\nAflac sacked Gottfried, who was the voice of the duck since 2000, when he tweeted some offensive thoughts on his Twitter stream about the recent earthquake in Japan including \u201CJapan called me. They said \u2018maybe those jokes are a hit in the U.S., but over here, they\u2019re all sinking'\u201D and \u201CI was talking to my Japanese real estate agent. I said \u2018Is there a school in this area.' She said, \u2018Not now, but just wait.\u2019\u201D\nGottfried has since deleted the offending tweets and offered the following sort-of apology in a statement: \u201CI was born without a censor button. My mouth and now email will continue to get me into trouble.\u201D\nAflac, clearly chastened by the experience, now has a link on its Facebook Page that lets consumers contribute money to the Red Cross\u2019s relief effort in Japan. Sullivan\u2019s comments also make it sound as though the brand is steering clear of anyone who might be remotely edgy. \u201CWe are looking for the best person to represent our brand,\u201D he says, adding that the new voice talent must align with Aflac\u2019s image as \u201Cphilanthropic with high ethical standard.\u201D"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2011/03/23/aflac-gilbert-gottfried/>