September 12, 2016

Everyone’s favorite fictional postal worker, Newman, stars in IKEA Israel’s latest commercial, promoting the 2017 catalog for the ready-to-assemble furniture chain.

The actor Wayne Knight, who starred as the evil mail carrier in the Seinfeld series, portrays his version of life as a postal worker on Israeli streets. Armed with his celebrated maniacal laugh, Knight walks viewers through his miserable life of trying to deliver mail despite the obstacles awaiting him – people not answering their doors, barking dogs,  movers bumping into him.

Only when it’s time to deliver the IKEA catalog does Knight get to rejoice in being Newman the mail carrier. Suddenly, everyone answers the door and he is treated like royalty.

“There is one day that makes me feel special. Like Valentine’s Day for the florist, like the day after Passover for the baker,” Knight says in the commercial.

The 1’42-minute commercial was shot on the streets of Givatayim, a city just east of Tel Aviv. Israeli actress/model Sarai Givaty also stars in the ad.

The commercial is in English but there are a number of Hebrew words thrown in. For an English subtitled version of the whole ad – with translations of the Hebrew slang – click here.
Israelis are known as big Seinfeld fans. In 2015, tickets for a standup show featuring funny guy Jerry Seinfeld sold out within a few hours of going on sale.

Also in 2015, Pepsi Max Israel invited the Soup Nazi (actor Larry Thomas) to star in a commercial that followed Thomas on an Israeli street food tasting walkabout while spouting a bunch of Seinfeld phrases from different episodes. Watch it here.