LinkedIn's first-ever TV commercial reminds you that you wanted to be an astronaut when you grew up

LinkedIn, like all technology-based companies, is having a tough year. 

But it's boldly going ahead with ambitious advertising plans -- to space, where many have not gone before. 

After a harrowing month for LinkedIn's stock following a disappointing earnings report, the business networking site is set to launch its first-ever TV ad this weekend with an aspirational message rooted in data that 3 million of its users are qualified for NASA's latest astronaut job posting.

The 30-second commercial will debut this Sunday during the Academy Awards -- widely considered the advertising industry's second biggest TV stage apart from the Super Bowl -- and kick off a larger campaign that will encompass print, digital and social.

The inspiration for the commercial came from a job ad posted by NASA in search of its next astronaut. LinkedIn crunched the numbers and found that up to 3 million of its more than 400 million users were qualified for the position.

LinkedIn's own CEO Jeff Weiner did the voiceover for the spot, and the video footage was provided by NASA. 

The company is hoping to use the wonder of space travel to not only lure new users to the site but also fire up its own employees, says marketing vp Nick Bartle.

"The astronaut is a universal symbol of a dream job," Bartle said. "At the core of the story is empowerment. Many people think these careers are unattainable. We exist to help them achieve that level of professional attainment."

The idea that so many LinkedIn users are cut out to be astronauts already seems to have resonated well with the site's base. According to the company, the original tweet announcing the finding was its most popular to date.

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