“Sports, friends, fun. As a father of 12, I ain’t got time for none of that sh$#!”

Wasn’t he supposed to get a vasectomy? Oh, right. That was just an Aviation Gin commercial with Ryan Reynolds.

There’s nothing breakthrough here. Just a spot-on performance from a celeb who never takes himself too seriously and knows how to tweak his image for maximum buzz.

Besides, that weird spokes-beast from past commercials felt like challenger-brand stuff. The fertile funnyman’s frenetic pitch makes more sense for such a mainstream marketer.

Nema Vand directed through Eva Nosidam Productions. The campaign will break across TV and digital channels.

FCB New York and Michelob Ultra picked up three Grand Clios—in Integrated Campaign, Innovation and Branded Content—for their “McEnroe vs McEnroe” campaign, in which 2022 John McEnroe got to face off against five younger versions of himself, thanks to some remarkable tech.

Every move from the McEnroe avatars was synchronized with an intricate robotic-return system, allowing the tennis star to play his avatar selves for real. The campaign included a CRM callout, a VIP premiere with press and influencers, and calls-to-action across PR, digital trade, social, influencer, broadcast integrations and TVC encouraging consumers to tune into a one-hour special on ESPN linear and streaming (which the network provided for free).

With over 120 media placements, the sentiment was summed up by Sports Illustrated (“This could be the future of sports”) and Yahoo! (“Reinventing sports entertainment”). Since launch, organic searches for “Michelob Ultra” have grown by 95 percent. 

Michelob Ultra, ‘Michelob Guy’

Michelob Ultra picked up one more Grand Clio, in Social Media, for a Wieden+Kennedy campaign that amplified a pop-culture phenomenon—the viral photo of a guy holding a Michelob Ultra as Tiger Woods teed off at the PGA Championship, while everyone around him was capturing the moment with their smartphones. Within 48 hours, “Michelob Guy” appeared in a commercial, had his own merch line, and appeared on Michelob Ultra cans.

Corona, ‘Plastic Fishing Tournament’

Corona created the first-ever Plastic Fishing Tournament, a global initiative where fishermen from all over the world were rewarded to make the biggest catch of plastic waste in order to sell it to recycling companies. The more plastic they caught, the more money they made, and the cleaner the ocean became. The campaign won two Grand Clios—in Experiential and Social Good.

Corona, ‘Jersey Pay’

Fans attending sporting events in Mexico have to be careful with bringing valuables to the game; because of pickpockets, many leave their wallets and phones at home. This was depressing beer sales at stadiums, so Corona and VMLY&R Commerce invented a unique solution—embedding a digital payment system directly into fan jerseys, which could be scanned at the point of purchase.

Atlético de Madrid, ‘Stepfather’s Day’

Father’s Day is an important celebration in Spain—all brands congratulate fathers, but none had done so with stepfathers. Atlético de Madrid, one of the country’s top soccer clubs, did so with a charming tale that captivated the club’s followers and shared its ideals and philosophy.

Buffalo Wild Wings, ‘The Overtime Deal’

Every time a player sends a sports game into overtime, they not only create more time in the game, they create more great times at Buffalo Wild Wings—and more time to sell more wings and beer. During March Madness, BWW introduced “The Overtime Deal,” the first-ever NIL sponsorships exclusively for players who send a game into overtime. 

Adidas Football, ‘No More Red’

In 2021, London saw the highest number of teenage murders on record. To tackle the problem, Iris created No More Red, an initiative that saw Adidas support the long-standing work being done by Arsenal to keep young people safe from knife crime and youth violence.

The campaign kicked off with a bold statement—removing the iconic red from the Arsenal home kit, creating an all-white uniform symbolic of an ambition to eradicate bloodshed among London’s youth. Adidas and Arsenal teamed up with lifelong Arsenal fan Idris Elba and Arsenal legend Ian Wright to launch the kit, which was worn in game by Arsenal live on national TV during the FA Cup.

Decathlon Canada, ‘Ability Signs’

Since its creation in 1968, the International Symbol of Access has served as a single icon to represent all people with disabilities. Decathlon, a sporting goods manufacturer, reimagined this common wheelchair signage in Canada to show that sports are for everyone. Using Decathlon’s existing signage system and iconic blue brand color, agency Rethink developed 25 custom symbols representing a variety of wheelchair and non-wheelchair based para-sports. Adding sport items and accessories to a universally known icon told a completely different story—one that shows what people with disabilities can do, not their limitations. 

Narrator got excited! Had to shout! Dude, lighten up!

“The first two days of the tourney are some of the best in sports—sun up to sun down basketball,” Martin Agency group planning director Mike Kelly tells Muse. “And since people are basically living at the bar, we figured why not let people literally live at the bar? And seriously, who’s never dreamed of sleeping in the bar?”

Um, yeah … dreamed.

Anyway, you won’t need to get a vasectomy or change your rap handle to enter the competition. Just upload a video showing why you deserve to party in the BnB and tag it #bnbdubscontest. Paint your face the colors of your favorite team. Paint whatever body parts you like. Who knows what the judges will respond to?

Winners and their pals get a sleepover on March 19, free food and drinks, plus custom varsity-jacket/bathrobes, matching signature slide-slippers and a full-body towelette for beer-and-bbq-sauce-related clean-ups.

Hey, if nothing else, you’ll get out of your parents’ basement for a couple of days! (Kidding, of course. They kicked you out months ago, and you’ve crashed in your uncle’s garage ever since.)

“We’re filming the entire thing and will share content throughout the experience,” Kelly says.

The BnB’s set up against big windows that look out onto the street. “So being responsible bar patrons is expected,” he adds, with no irony whatsoever.

CREDITS

Client: Buffalo Wild Wings
President: Lyle Tick
Chief Marketing Officer: Seth Freeman
VP, Brand Experience and Activation: Luke DeRouen 
VP, Marketing and Advertising: Jeff Baker
Director, Marketing: Ryan Stein 
Manager, Entertainment: Fallon Ducree
Director, Sports Marketin: Chad Glidewell
Manager, National Sports Partnerships: Ashley Wall
Coordinator, Brand Communications: Claire Kudlata

Agency: The Martin Agency
Chief Creative Officer: Karen Costello
Executive Creative Director: Jerry Hoak 
Creative Director: Mik Manulik
Associate Creative Director: Andrew Bailey
Senior Copywriter: Graham Unterberger
Art Director: Dustin Dodd 
Designer: Paige Nuckols
Senior Studio Artist: Margaret Griffith
Executive Producer:Tricia Hoover
Executive Producer: Kim Zaninovich
Senior Producer: Kim Slowik
Producer: Colleen Hopkins
Digital Producer: Chris Gsell
Executive Print Producer: Paul Martin
Print Producer: Jamie Dollins
Junior Print Producer: Amy Zhang
VP Director of Business Affairs: Dusty Slowik
Manager Director, Cultural Impact Lab: Jaclyn Ruelle
VP/Group Director, Communications Strategy: Taylor Grimes
Senior Executive, Cultural Communications: Matt Kessler
Chief Executive Officer: Kristen Cavallo
Group Account Director: Jordan Muse
Account Director: Kelsey Johnson 
Account Executive: Laura Holland
Account Executive: Corinne Barrow
Project Manager: Kathlyn Sowers
Financial Account Supervisor: Monica Cox

Strategy
Group Strategic Director: Mike Kelley
Strategic Director: Taylor Wiegert
Strategic Planner: Stuart Good

Public Relations 
Neil DeVries, Vice President
Nick Eickemeyer, Senior Account Supervisor
Christian Blatner, Account Executive

Production
Production Company: Mondial 
Directors: Nate Balli   
Director of Photography: Danny Caprialetti
Executive Producer: Ash Bruce
Producer: Andrew Campbell   

Editorial
Editorial Company: Mondial  
Editor: Josh Rathmell
Editorial Producer: Ash Bruce/Sara “Monty” Montgomery
Editorial Producer:  Will Renton

Mix
Company: Rainmaker   
Mix Engineer: Mike O’Connor

Remember when the Beatles changed their name to the VW Beetles? Of course not. (Though Paul McCartney’s Boneless Wings period was awesome!)

The wings-related name change began when the creative team tasted some boneless product and began joking, “They’re so good, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is going to have an identity crisis,” Martin Agency group planning director Mike Kelly tells Muse. “Obviously, it stuck—and became so much more. [Art director] Allison Apperson and [senior copywriter] Jacob Pankey were the jokesters who brought the idea into being.”

Great, now we know who to thank. Or blame. It’s a thin, barbecue sauce-splattered line.

The move recalls the IHOP/IHOB publicity-seeking switcheroo from a couple years back—but not so much. Remember when Eminem started calling himself Tootsie Roll (M&M would’ve been too easy), and Beyoncé renamed herself Facebook? Those were good times.

This Boneless bid is backed by “a very small social buy,” says Martin associate creative director Andrew Bailey. “Word of mouth is our focus, because the news has wide appeal, just like the group does—from old-school hip-hop fans, today’s youth, and, of course, lovers of boneless wings.”

Hey, who wants Drake’s Cakes for dessert?

CREDITS

Client: Buffalo Wild Wings
President: Lyle Tick
Chief Marketing Officer: Seth Freeman
VP, Brand Experience and Activation: Luke DeRouen 
VP, Marketing and Advertising: Jeff Baker
Director, Marketing: Ryan Stein 
Director, Brand Communications: Alison Glenn
Coordinator, Brand Communications: Claire Kudlata

Agency Credits:
Chief Creative Officer: Karen Costello
Group Creative Director: Jerry Hoak 
Creative Director: Mik Manulik
Associate Creative Director: Andrew Bailey
Senior Copywriter: Jacob Pankey
Art Director: Allison Apperson 
Senior Studio Artist: Margaret Griffith
Executive Producer:Tricia Hoover
Executive Producer: Kim Zaninovich 
Print Producer: Jamie Dollins
VP Director of Business Affairs: Dusty Slowik
Managing Director, Cultural Impact Lab: Jaclyn Ruelle
Senior Executive, Cultural Communications: Matt Kessler
Chief Executive Officer: Kristen Cavallo
Group Account Director: Jordan Muse
Account Director: Kelsey Johnson 
Account Executive: Laura Holland
Project Manager: Kevin Merrill
Project Manager: Kathlyn Sowers
Financial Account Supervisor: Monica Cox

Strategy
Group Strategic Director: Mike Kelley
Strategic Director: Taylor Wiegert
Strategic Planner: Stuart Good

Public Relations 
Neil DeVries, Vice President
Nick Eickemeyer, Senior Account Supervisor
Christian Blatner, Account Executive

Production
Production Company: Company Films 
Directors: Fred Goss 
Director of Photography: Leif Johnson
Executive Producer: Richard Goldstein 
Head of Production: Christien Tuttle 
Producer: Rebecca Brown 

Editorial
Editorial Company: SuperJoy 
Editor: Erich Wiemer 
Editorial Producer: Jack Johnson 

Custom Music 
Company: Stimulator Jones 
Writer: Sam Lunsford

Mix
Company: Rainmaker 
Mix Engineer: Michael O’Connor

Yes, they actually made these things and will be introducing them at two locations next week—in New York’s Times Square and at the Koreatown location in Los Angeles. 

As Neel mentions in the video, the seats aren’t doctor approved. And to be honest, that gleaming pyramid of metal on the seat doesn’t look super comfortable. But presumably we’ll know either way pretty soon, as guys in NYC and L.A. test out the thing, if they’re brave enough. 

Muse spoke to Scot Crooker, creative director at the Martin Agency, about the effort.

How did inspiration strike for this idea?
It actually came up fairly early in our internal conversations about March Madness because the phenomenon of guys who are planning to get a vasectomy, scheduling it during the tournament, isn’t new. We are always mining for the best and most relevant cultural stats that enable us to have impact on conversations and the world that our consumers are living in. Urologists have even been promoting Vas Madness for years; their local ads are all over the tournament. 

Part of our mission for Buffalo Wild Wings is to try and help fans have the best tournament-watching experience possible. And as smart as it may be to schedule a surgery so a guy can lay on the couch and take in all of the games on a weekday, it still isn’t the optimal sports-watching experience. Guys aren’t going to want to come in with a bag of frozen peas and hang with their buddies. That’s why we created the Jewel Stool. So a guy could still come be amongst his herd and keep cool at the same time. It’s a small gesture but indicative of the bigger idea. 

What was the process like for designing this thing, and does it work as advertised? 
We actually created a very crude prototype for the chair pitch to present the idea to our partners at Buffalo Wild Wings. Shortly after beginning work on the larger March Madness campaign, we engaged a team of fabricators and designers at Crux Scenica in Richmond, Virginia. The goal was to create a seat that could legitimately get cold and also keep your beer cold. It was critical to consider where it should be cold, how the cooling unit fit between a guy’s legs and other ways we could design the chair to help the cause—we needed it to really work! 

We also met with a urologist and got his input on how to best design the chair for optimal comfort, and he recommended we elevate the cooling device a few inches off the seat so it’s nice and snug. Then we implemented bells and whistles—things like having a beer button so the user wouldn’t have to move around. The entire system works on a 20-minute timer. Because that’s the doctor’s orders! We’ve done multiple rounds of testing on this, and it hovers around 40 degrees in all the right places. And the beer button works, for sure!

Do you expect guys to actually come in and use them?
We definitely think people will  use them. Whether they’ve had a vasectomy or not, we think the hype and the intrigue will cause anyone to see this and jump on to try it out. We believe once they are in the bar, people will be lined up to experience this thing, share socially, etc. Ideally, it would be great if someone who actually had a vasectomy used it. 

The tournament is one of the greatest rituals in American sport. If we can help one guy enjoy it to his post-op appropriate max, then it was worth it. Regardless of how much use these chairs get, we believe this effort still stands as a pretty potent, culturally relevant symbol of our belief that at the bar with others is the best way to enjoy moments like these. Watching sports is at its best when it’s at Buffalo Wild Wings. 

— — — 

The Jewel Stool is part of a larger campaign from Martin called “That’s March Madness.” The NCAA basketball tournament is, of course, a big time of year for the restaurant chain, which is basically a sports bar. The new creative comically shames guys for watching the early rounds at work or at home, when they should be manning up at the bar. 

Here’s the :60 anthem spot: 

“The reality is, the way people watch sports is broken,” Crooker tells Muse. “They’ve been tamed to think it’s OK to watch games on a tiny screen by themselves. Or sneaking March Madness in while at their cubicles. Or even worse, while hiding in their lonely man caves. We needed this work to shake fans out of their domesticated daze and remind them how sports should be watched—at B-Dubs, beer in hand, wings at the ready, surrounded by wild fanimals.” 

Other spots mock guys for streaming the tournament online (which could present buffering problems) or for celebrating a co-workers birthday party at the office when they should be playing hooky. There’s also an execution specifically made for overtime games. Check out those three spots below. 

Finally, below are some more Jewel Stool materials—a look at a fake brochure that Martin created for it.