Ewan McGregor is the pitchman for Cisco in the communications giant's latest campaign -- and brings an infectious enthusiasm to the role. A new spot, directed by Dante Ariola at MJZ for Goodby Silverstein & Partners, sees the "Star Wars" and "Trainspotting" actor taking us on a tour of the world's most amazing technology -- from robots, to apps that give people clean water, to an African villager who bought a goat with a cellphone. As he carries on about how amazing technology is, you'd think there's going to be a twist -- but no, this is a film full of optimism, which ends with McGregor holding up a glass "half full."

The aim of the campaign is to celebrate connected technology, something in which Cisco has played a key part as much of the internet's traffic relies on its networks. Michele Janes, VP of Global Corporate Marketing and Branding, said in a statement: "This spot is about showcasing all of the technological innovation and amazing progress we've made as a society -- much of which wouldn't be possible without Cisco's secure network. We needed an optimistic ambassador to take us on this journey, and we thought Ewan McGregor was the perfect guy for the job."

McGregor, currently filming "Trainspotting 2," has starred in a number of ad campaigns in the last few years, including a spot for British telecom giant BT, which poked fun at big budget advertising.