--- title: DirecTV Ad Stars Rob Lowe as Ugly, Creepy Customer description: As in, really ugly and creepy canonical: https://time.com/3426085/rob-lowe-directtv/ author: Samantha Grossman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-09-24T19:23:20.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-01T09:01:39.968Z og:title: These Ads Show Rob Lowe Like You've Never Seen Him Before og:description: As in, really ugly and creepy og:url: https://time.com/3426085/rob-lowe-directtv/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8334c7a1de3e5db0/6986a54635ba6f501fc0404c/452999816.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2186 og:image:height: 1230 og:image:alt: Rob Lowe og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: These Ads Show Rob Lowe Like You've Never Seen Him Before twitter:description: As in, really ugly and creepy twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8334c7a1de3e5db0/6986a54635ba6f501fc0404c/452999816.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # These Ads Show Rob Lowe Like You've Truly Never Seen Him Before > Sponsored content. 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It curates the day's top headlines with TIME's reporting and analysis across politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is free to join at time.com/newsletters. #### How do I sign up for The Brief? The Brief is available free at time.com/newsletters, where readers can select it along with any of TIME's other six newsletters. There is no subscription required to receive it. #### Is The Brief free? Yes. The Brief is a free daily email newsletter from TIME. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes The Brief? The Brief is led by editor Richard Hall and draws on reporting from TIME's newsroom. Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=bebbf63d-20d7-4f13-b689-11956162763f&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Less Attractive Rob Lowe DIRECTV Commercial [Watch (HLS stream): Less Attractive Rob Lowe DIRECTV Commercial](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/foBMpeBV.m3u8) (0:31)  _Published 2014-09-24. Less Attractive Rob Lowe DIRECTV Commercial_ by [Samantha Grossman](https://time.com/author/samantha-grossman/) ## Samantha Grossman Sep 24, 2014 7:23 PM UTC by [Samantha Grossman](https://time.com/author/samantha-grossman/) ## Samantha Grossman Sep 24, 2014 7:23 PM UTC Well, this is [literally ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=%5FXjka07o1-0)the most hideous we’ve ever seen the notoriously gorgeous (and possibly ageless?) Rob Lowe look. A new ad campaign from DirecTV features the _West Wing_ and _Parks and Recreation_ actor as a few distinct versions of himself. First, there’s him as a DirecTV customer, which is a regular, handsome, gregarious Rob Lowe. But there’s also him as a cable user, which is a disgusting and creepy Rob Lowe (see above) along with a completely hideous Rob Lowe (see below.) We have to admit that this is some pretty effective advertising. If you’re saying that using DirecTV will make me as hot and youthful as Rob Lowe (even though he’s 26 years older than me), sign me up. ## Transcript Hi, I'm Rob Lowe and I have Direct TV. And I'm far less attractive Rob Lowe and I have cable. With Direct TV, you get 10ADP and Dolby 5. 1, the industry's best picture and sound. With cable, you get pictures and some sound too. Direct TV is a theater quality experience I can have at home with all my friends. Friends. I don't- Don't be like this [ UNKNOWN ] Get rid of cable and upgrade to DIRECTV. 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