Louisville’s summer billboard mystery has been solved

A week ago, we dove head first into the mystery surrounding the Chris/Jessica billboards that have been popping up all over the city.

Like most, I just assumed this was an advertising campaign, most likely for some sort of men’s health clinic/erectile dysfunction drug. It turns out the billboards are indeed an ad campaign, but for something I never would have guessed.

Erica Rucker of Insider Louisville got to the bottom of the story.

The Louisville Ballet is the culprit, and Mightily is the team who worked with the organization to design the campaign.

Humility is not one of Mightily’s hallmarks.

Cherie Perez, the ballet’s marketing director, said in an interview Wednesday evening, “We wanted to do something exciting to promote our new Season of Romance. We thought we needed to come out in a big and bold way.”

Perez promises that each of the season’s shows will live up to the hype of this billboard campaign, and she hopes the public will temper their judgment until the season starts.

The Louisville Ballet is set to kick off its new season in September with the world premiere of a modernized version of “Romeo and Juliet.” Before that, folks can see the ballet close this season’s Shakespeare in the Park with its interpretation of “The Tempest.” That show runs Aug. 1-5 and stars Robert Curran, the ballet’s director, in the lead role.

Tickets for the ballet’s new season are starting with a 30 percent discount, with subscribers having the option to purchase as few as two shows while getting all of the benefits of being a season ticket holder. The final billboard reveal will highlight this special and the season’s theme.

Bamboozled by the Ballet! Incredible.

And as for Chris and Jessica? They’re real people. Sort of.

Turns out Jessica and Chris are absolutely a real couple.

They were generous in allowing their names to be used for the campaign, but they surely want everyone to know that Chris has neither performance issues nor mesothelioma, and that Jessica still adores him.

Well that’s less fun.

If the past decade has taught us anything, it’s that Louisville loves a good summer billboard story. I’m glad 2018 could deliver.