On The Border airs first television commercials in two yearsOn The Border airs first television commercials in two years

DALLAS On The Border, the 161-unit Mexican casual-dining division of Brinker International Inc., started airing its first television commercials in two years as part of its new advertising campaign.

The 30-second ads are the first with OTB’s new advertising agency, Energy BBDO. They are scheduled in prime time and some late-night slots on ABC, CBS, CW and NBC as well as such cable stations as Bravo, Comedy Central, ESPN, USA Network and TNT, a Brinker spokesman said.

The campaign’s theme, “Why? Because You Can,” features traditional Mexican masks that talk.

“The inspiration for the talking masks was On The Border’s fun décor,” said Tony Schembri, the Brinker spokesman. “During a visit to one of our restaurants, the creative group at our ad agency thought, ‘It must be torture for those masks, having to see and smell all this great food passing by them, while they’re stuck on the wall with no way to taste it.’ From there, the ‘spokes-masks’ practically took on a life of their own.”

The TV ads are expected to air in the Texas markets of Dallas-Fort Worth, Midland-Odessa, Wichita Falls and Waco and the Oklahoma areas of Lawton, Oklahoma City and Tulsa as well as Memphis, Tenn., and Tucson, Ariz.

The campaign is being reinforced through radio, online and cinema advertising.