Joan Collins in Post Office ad

The UK's Guardian online reports the British Post Office is aiming to spruce up its tarnished image with a star-studded TV campaign featuring celebrities including Joan Collins and the message "The people's Post Office".

According to the paper, the ad campaign, which starts today, aims to reposition the Post Office as offering "more than just stamps".

In the ad sub-postmaster Ken, played by Early Doors actor John Henshaw, gives a rousing speech to his staff about how important the service is for local communities. Joan Collins plays a customer.

Replacing their long-running series of ads featuring a family of animated ants, the new campaign also comes amid negative publicity about government plans to close 2,500 branches by 2009.

Wildcat strikes by postal workers also continue to disrupt mail delivery across the country.

To read the entire article, click here. To view the ad, click here.