Jennifer Prince has spent over 25 years in advertising, media and content. As chief commercial officer of the Los Angeles Rams, she is responsible for overseeing all partnerships, including sales, activations and strategy. She works to leverage the team’s media business across owned-and-operated channels, social accounts and online platforms.  

Jennifer previously spent eight-plus years at Twitter as a global VP. Earlier, she held senior roles at Google, YouTube, Demand Media, American Greetings, Dow Jones and TBWA/Chiat Day.

We spent two minutes with Jennifer to learn more about her background, her creative inspirations and recent work she’s admired.

Jennifer, tell us …

Where you grew up, and where you live now. 

I am an Angeleno. I was born and raised in Los Angeles and grew up living throughout the San Fernando Valley in the suburbs of L.A., with most of my time spent in Calabasas. After migrating to Santa Monica in my 20s as a single woman, I ventured back with my husband who also grew up in the Valley. We now reside in Agoura Hills, where the Los Angeles Rams headquarters is, as well.  

Your earliest sports memory. 

As an Angeleno and sports fan, my fondest, earliest memories were at Dodger Stadium. My dad was a real baseball fanatic, and I was surrounded by all things Dodger Blue.  

Your favorite sports team(s). 

The Los Angeles Rams, of course. However, and as mentioned, I grew up in a baseball-obsessed home focused on the Dodgers. We love our Lakers, too! 

Your favorite athlete(s). 

Lebron James is remarkable on the court, and a great family man. I love watching him gracefully playing hoops. He is a fan favorite in our house and our three daughters went to the same school as his boys, making him even more real than a pro athlete to our family. 

Your favorite sports show or podcast. 

The world of Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic. She hosts a newly released five-episode podcast, Playcallers. I love hearing from some of the best and brightest coaches on winning, strategies and calling plays, including our very own Sean McVay. 

Your favorite sports movie and/or video game. 

I recently went to the Netflix premiere of the new docuseries Quarterback. I loved it and am fascinated by the responsibility and accountability of the QB. When watching any NFL game and especially the Los Angeles Rams, I am so deeply connected to the pressures of this position, and especially for our Matthew Stafford.

A recent project you’re proud of. 

One favorite project was the 2022 season’s kickoff game that incorporated Dwayne Johnson and Warner Bros.’ Black Adam as a major entertainment and Hollywood moment. Our stadium lit up with Dwayne as our Rampede captain at kick-off, and then the Black Adam trailer dropped in-stadium and electrified the game presentation while surprising and delighting fans. It was a very special Hollywood moment inside SoFi Stadium.

Someone else’s project that you admired recently. 

The Warner Bros. launch of Barbie has blown my mind. Barbie’s iconic brand taking on Hollywood and creating this influx of fandom, passion, connection and a lot of pink while being nostalgic yet fresh in the center of culture … It’s ALL to be admired. 

What sports can do that nothing else can. 

Our fans are so powerful, intense, passionate and committed. The NFL and football set the bar for sports.

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in the sports world. 

I have a deep love for dogs and have thought of opening and running a dog shelter, or simply talking my husband into rescuing a dozen dogs personally. But really, I am obsessed with my career in digital, media, tech, content and sports and I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Congratulations, suspicious interwebs, you sussed it out. The NFL really does work from scripts. All the time. To plot every dramatic twist and turn.

And it does so … for its commercials. But not on the field of play. D’uh!

In fresh ads from 72andSunny, the league pokes fun at conspiracy theories about scripted games. Director Aaron Stoller imbues the spots with a sassy satirical vibe, mirroring his beloved “Heisman House” blitz for Nissan. 

FADE IN: A Hollywood-style story conference, with Keegan-Michael Key as the director, and NFL elites cast as “actors.” They’re pitching scenarios for the league’s 104th year.

“Okay, we need something juicy for mid-season,” Key says.

Chicago Bear Justin Fields suggests banning sacks. His fellow QB, Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings, whoops it up in agreement. Shirtless Kirk steals the scene with his energy and bling.

After more banter, the commercial promises a boffo finish for the Super Bowl. Everyone oohs, aahs and applauds as they scan the script’s last page.

“Just think of the memes!” Key quips.

CUE TAGLINE: “You Can’t Make This Stuff Up.”

The in-jokes fly thoughout, with Patrick Mahomes, D.K. Metcalf, Dexter Lawrence, Ja’Marr Chase, Jalen Ramsey, Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce getting in on the fun. (The Kelces’ mom Donna makes a cute cameo).

“This year, it felt appropriate to let loose and have fun. Also, we wanted to highlight the entertainment value of NFL football,” 72andSunny ECD Zach Hilder tells Muse. “The NFL is so much bigger than players and plays. The storylines are epic. The plot twists are sometimes almost unbelievable. We tried to remind fans of that without being heavy-handed. Plus, we wanted to see Justin Fields pitch the idea of swapping his legs for wheels. I mean, who doesn’t want to see that?”

This ranks as NBA-level cultural awareness, with high entertainment value. It’s a pointed clap-back at doofus detractors, delivered with good humor and just enough goofiness to score.

Even better, it should appeal to folks who aren’t up on the latest viral shenanigans. (Bare-chested, bejeweled Kirk transcends all context!)

Below, Hilder, agency co-founder Glenn Cole, NFL CMO Tim Ellis and league SVP, global brand Marissa Solis discuss the creative approach.

MUSE: Why do this style of humor and lean into the headlines?

Tim Ellis, NFL: No one is expecting this. It’s taking the opportunity to have some fun with a popular meme and myth out there that the season is fixed. And our fans aren’t accustomed to the NFL making fun of itself. Self-effacing wouldn’t be the first thing that comes to mind when you think NFL. So, we kick off our season by stating, “You’re right, it’s all made up.” We think fans are going to eat it up, and hopefully it will remind them why they love this game so much. It will encourage deeper engagement and that sense of community.

Glenn Cole, 72andSunny: We first discussed the idea of a “Scripted” campaign back in February. NFL fan culture and meme culture share a fun obsession with scripted storyline conspiracies. Even the athletes love to play with it. So when the new season approached, we leaned into it. We knew we had the right idea when we pitched it to the players. D.K. signed on before he even saw the script. Tim pitched Mahomes, the Kelces, and Kirk Cousins, who fearlessly leaned into it. Just look at Kirk. Fearless! 

So, hardcore fans will be delighted and surprised? 

Tim Ellis, NFL: Understanding what our fans want and even need to hear from us is crucial. So, it’s about football, but it’s also about cultural leadership. And sometimes it’s simply about escape and tapping into the excitement and anticipation of the return of the season. Creatively, we also look to tap into emerging artforms and storytelling. And yes, even memes and urban myths. This is critical in order to stay relevant and retain that edge.

Beyond debunking the meme, what the main goal?

Tim Ellis, NFL: Football is one of those games where literally anything can happen in a season. Your team may have been at the bottom of their division last year, and suddenly you find yourself in contention for the Super Bowl. It’s also true that the quality, competitiveness and intensity of the matchups and rivalries over the last few seasons have been insane. So, we knew that we had an incredible level of momentum and pent-up excitement going into the 104th season.

The players-as-actors certainly seem in character.

Tim Ellis, NFL: What I love in this campaign is how our players are driving the humor. When I came to the league five years ago, we started the helmets-off strategy, which was designed to help fans get to know our players better as people and not just as world-class athletes. It makes them more relatable and encourages deeper engagement. And when you see this campaign, you can’t help but be impressed with the quality of performance. The acting is really incredible. The guys are hilarious. And of course, Keegan-Michael Key is brilliant. The players really responded well to Keegan, and I think he helped them just bring it. 

Must’ve been fun on set. 

Marissa Solis, NFL: It was awesome to see the players really getting into it. I remember when Dexter Lawrence saw the script and had to do his “Sexy Dexy” [dance]. He was nervous at first. He wanted it to be perfect. Then, he did it a couple of times and really started enjoying it and ad-libbing fun moves.  We were able to capture all of the players and Keegan’s natural reactions as we were shooting because so much of it was ad-libbed. That is what made is so great. There was a lot of laughter on the set!

Zach Hilder, 72andSunny: One of my favorite moments was filming Donna Kelce. She’s so authentic. So relatable. So funny. She might actually have a thing for Jimmy Garoppolo. I don’t know. She has a great poker face.

You did have a script, right?

Tim Ellis, NFL: We had an approved script, but everyone was having so much fun that new ideas and things were just organically coming together. It was almost like improv. One person would start something and everyone would just jump in and make it better. 

Over the years, piece by piece, director Rodney Lucas, who signed with Little Minx for commercials and content representation last fall, has built an impressive body of work that celebrates Black America. Across his projects, Lucas imbues a documentary approach with poetic visuals and a drive to authentically represent diverse communities.

Some highlights from his reel: a spot for Nike that finds legendary Chicago journalist Scoop Jackson teaching a boy about the Black athletes who broke barriers in the 1960s; Southside Magnolia, a documentary for Doordash, chronicling the revival of a beloved BBQ restaurant on the South Side; and a commercial for United with Opal Lee, the activist and educator known as the grandmother of Juneteenth, marveling over the accomplishments of Black pilots.

Earlier this year, Lucas marked a career milestone as a commercial director when his NFL spot “We See You” aired during Super Bowl LVII. The moving ad finds players including Saints linebacker Demario Davis and 49ers tight end George Kittle sharing their appreciation for everyday heroes, ranging from mothers to military veterans.

Now based in Brooklyn, Lucas was brought up on Chicago’s South Side, where he saw his father sent to prison, his sister shot and close friends murdered. He knows what it is like to go hungry and has experienced periods of homelessness.

“I didn’t expect to live this long, which is probably the reason why I work so hard,” says the self-taught filmmaker. “I walk every day with a sense of purpose but also a sense of confidence that comes from me not even seeing myself in these shoes 10 to 15 years ago.”

Below, Lucas talks about his creative mission as a filmmaker, casting process and the types of brands he seeks as partners.

MUSE: When I look at your work, I really get a sense of who you are and what is important to you. Can you talk about what want to accomplish?

RODNEY LUCAS: Thank you for saying that. I’ve done it on purpose. When you see my stuff, I try and film it in a way that you know it’s Rodney. My relatives see my commercials and know it’s me. They text me, “Yo, I just saw one of your spots.”

The initial goal was to give people this view into Black America. I’ve always seen my mother and my aunts, my uncles, my community as this really magical place. And the second I had the chance to pick up a camera, I wanted to show the world the folks that have influenced me, the folks that I think have influenced the world. So, like in my NFL spot, the woman holding a baby—that’s my sister. That’s her and her wife’s baby. Probably half my spots I try to include members from my family.

Can you tell me more about your casting process? You appear to come at it from the point-of-view of a documentarian.

Completely. My casting comes from the streets. When I go into a town, I go to the barber shop, I go to the mall. I want to know who’s got the best gold. I want to know who got the best rides. I want to know who is lit and on fire in those towns. I need that energy of the streets to push the volume of my spots.

And that talent is seeking more than economic gain or more commercial work beyond that moment. That talent is genuinely seeing a Black man on the other side of the camera that is accountable in terms of the image to put out there about us. We share this bond as it relates to the portrayal of our community. And when they see me, they finally see an ally on the other side.

It is powerful seeing Chicago sports writer Scoop Jackson in your Nike ad as a mentor to a little boy.

He was actually in one of my first pieces [a branded film for Dick’s Sporting Goods] called “Benji Lives,” about a basketball player who was from my neighborhood that was killed in the ’80s. 

I’ve always seen Scoop as like the Spike Lee in Chicago. When I was in school, and I just wanted like a hug from a Black man, Scoop was always there to give it to me. I would go by Scoop’s house on the South Side and have a drink. I just wanted to be close to a Black man that was positive and believed in me.

When we wrote the script for Nike, I knew I wanted the kid talent to be able to be the recipient of and feel the same love that Scoop had been giving me for a decade of my life. I knew that would really come across onscreen because Scoop naturally has that sense of protection as it relates to connecting to Black youth.

The kid is actually one of my best friend’s sons. Just a beautiful wide-eyed baby. And that store is the store I grew up on. Literally, I would go to that store since I was five years old. So I wanted to create a vibe that was basically an interpretation of Rodney at the age of seven or eight, hanging out in this store soaking in game from older brothers that were on the corner.

What inspired you to make the short documentary Black Hercules about Black bodybuilders?

I wanted to create a short that was a love letter to Black men that spent time in prison. To me, they came home looking like superheroes. Like these brothers had a workout regimen in the joint that was just like next level. I thought that was something quite revolutionary. You could have a caged body, but that caged body had enough self-discipline and enough self-love to work out, to stay in hope, to create a pattern of self-care while in bondage. So these brothers would come out [of prison], and I would call them Black Hercules. They were like the people’s champ.

Doing research that went beyond my uncles, I became really tight with a brother named Craig Monson, who was a bodybuilder in the ’80s, and he essentially started the bodybuilding culture of South Central L.A., a bodybuilding culture that was heavily inspired by prison workouts.

The foundation of Black Hercules is how in spite of being caged and locked up and dealing with the extremes of Reagan-era politics, these brothers still came out beautifully chiseled and representing a sense of pride for the community.

There is so much pride and love and celebration in everything you make. I see it in the Nike spot you directed starring track and field sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson. The camera stays on her nails for much of the spot, and we learn so much about her by looking at them while we listen to her speak.

I wanted young Black women to see those fingernails and know that’s Sha’Carri just like we see the motherfucking jump man and know that’s Michael Jordan. So in order to reach that level of personalized branding within our psyche, I had to show the level of creativity, the level of art that was involved with those fingernails.

And I really wanted the shoot to feel like a family reunion, because I knew she was distrustful of the media. So when she came to that set, it was my goal to make that set feel like her grandmother’s kitchen, to make that set feel like home. I wanted everything that I could possibly have within my power—food, the whole energy of us playing Lil Baby—to make her feel exactly at home and to make her feel that we cared and loved her.

How did you get into making commercials?

I didn’t even realize that there were actually known commercial directors until late in my career of making films, honestly. I didn’t view it as a thing.

You were making documentaries, and then began working in the ad world, right?

Yeah, my first piece was [a documentary] called South Side Forever, and that was a piece about my community. I wanted to capture something, a short story basically. Give people a real-time view into three different chapters of Black life in Chicago. And Nowness [the digital video channel] picked it up. They kind of called, “Fire!” And then folks reached out to me, different production companies wanting to sign me. I signed with Emerald Pictures, and that was my first go in the commercial world. [Lucas was later represented by Even/Odd Films before joining the Little Minx roster.] They wanted to take what I did because they saw so much promise in it and see if I could incorporate that visual language into 30-second clips.

How do you work as a director when you are on location or on set?

It’s my job to be of service when I’m on set. I used to be a waiter for over a decade. So even like my first spot I would actually wear an apron on set because it just reminded me of being of service. You know what I’m saying? Like walking past a table and subconsciously bussing that table because for so long I was in the trenches of brunch. I think what that does is set the tone for my entire crew to ultimately follow my lead and be of service to our talent in the community.

And once I leave these communities, I want to leave them with something. So, typically, when I’m on set, I have a young kid, not even interning, but just following me around as part of the energy because I want them to be able to learn the system.

For so long, white men have fronted that this shit was rocket science, and it has been like this string of gatekeepers—as if it takes some next-level brilliant mind to crack the code of commercial filmmaking. Right. I’m like, nah, no bro, that’s not it. They just need to protect their pockets. That’s why they’re doing that. But come here, and I can teach you how to work this 16 millimeter camera. I can teach you how to be able to put together an effective spot that hits all the boxes and ticks all the marks within a 30- or 60-second piece.

The energy I’m on is ultimately leaving tools for my community to be able to tell their own stories, control their own narratives through commercial filmmaking, through branded content.

What kinds of brands and advertising agencies do you want to work with?

I’m trying to see if they’re really about it, right? If they have the receipts for the message they want to give to the public. So, if it’s a message regarding any group of marginalized people, I want to see them actually doing the work in the community before we make that spot.

There needs to be a backstory. To me, that’s essential. I think part of bringing me onboard a project is that I’m giving this company, I’m giving this brand a level of credibility, and for me to consider you a true ally, frankly, some of the work, some of the groundwork at least has to have already been done. Those are the projects I try to take on and am the most excited about.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have partners to make really, really cool stuff with—folks that are actually out there working. I love to see creative directors that are creative and pushing, pushing, pushing a sense of freshness. We’re not going to necessarily change the entire landscape of commercial filmmaking through one man, but I do think that there are endless possibilities.

You see these slivers of hope so to speak, and you see these moments that really give you the opportunity to say something great, say something that’s powerful, say something that’s going to move America. And I try and take those moments every single chance I get, even if it’s written in code through my sister holding her baby in a commercial. I live for those moments completely.

Diana Flores, the fourth-youngest quarterback at the World Games in 2022, and member of the Mexico Women’s Flag National Team, stars in “Run With It,” created by 72andSunny for the NFL. It aired yesterday at the Biggest Game of the year.

The ad marks the first time the league has used priceless Super Bowl time to spotlight youth and women’s flag football. It ran after the halftime show, and opens like a live shot: Flores, looking fresh off the field, gets interviewed by a reporter before the latter lunges for her flags and the chase is on.

“We’ve always prided ourselves in creating Super Bowl ads that deliver blockbuster entertainment to fans worldwide, but what’s notable this year is that ‘Run With It’ is rooted in the game of flag football, one of our most important long-term strategies,” explains Tim Ellis, the NFL’s CMO. “Flag football is universal, inclusive, fast and fun, and with this creative, we are thrilled to not just elevate flag, but specifically highlight how women are changing the game, driving the future of football forward and inspiring generations to come.”

The chase features impressive cameos. Disguised players that Flores must dodge include Sauce Gardner of the New York Jets, Cam Heyward of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Davante Adams of the Las Vegas Raiders (dressed like a parrot!), the LA Rams’ Jalen Ramsey, Aiden Hutchinson of the Detroit Lions, and even Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly. Influencer MRBEAST also appears.

Flores maneuvers past them all, though she’s almost caught by her own mother. As the spot progresses, she’s joined by other women, including tennis icon Billie Jean King, Vanita Krouch of the U.S. Women’s National Flag Football Team and Bella Rasmussen, the first female tackle football player to score an NIL deal.

“To the women pushing football forward, we can’t wait to see where you take this game,” the ad ends. 

Shot by Bryan Buckley, who’s directed over 60 Super Bowl commercials, “Run With It” knows not to make flag football feel like the gladiator sport tackle football has become. (Though, having played flag football in school, we remember tying those banners so tightly around our waist that you’d have to rip us half apart to grab one … and damn it, people tried!) This has more in common with the playful spirit of tag, and it’s a breezy, feel-good watch.

“This film is big news for the NFL. It shows not only our belief, but also conviction and determination to bring women into the game of football,” says 72andSunny ECD Zach Hilder. “Our goal is to not only honor those women pushing the game forward today but also inspire the next generation.”

CREDITS

Brand: NFL 
Agency: 72andSunny Los Angeles
Production: Hungry Man
Editorial: Rock Paper Scissors
Color:Company3
VFX/Finishing: Parliament
Sound Design/Mix: Lime Studios

Tom Brady sure got animated during Amazon Prime’s Thursday Night Football as his Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the Baltimore Ravens.

We’re not talking about Tom’s on-field performance, which was pretty lackluster, but the future NFL Hall of Famer’s appearance in Prime’s latest TNF promo:

Created by Imaginary Forces—renowned for its title sequences, including the Emmy-winning openings to Mad Men and Stranger Things—the fun, funky clips hype each matchup with historical team highlights set to hot beats. For example, in last night’s spot, we heard an ecstatic call proclaiming, “The Buccaneers are kings of the world!” That hailed from the conclusion of their 2020 Super Bowl win. (Sorry, the Bucs won’t don the crown this year.) The agency drew inspiration from current trends in movie and TV title sequences, presenting different players, cityscapes, stadiums, jerseys and tunes each week.

Eschewing live-action footage, which “look like everything else in sports,” Imaginary Forces chose “a dramatic and whimsical approach, with simple shapes and geometric patterns, which is totally opposite from what the audience is used to seeing for the NFL,” creative director Grant Lau tells Muse. Rather than serve up “high-end, rendered 3D hyper-realistic stuff, we wanted to do the opposite. We wanted to evoke something familiar and historical,” he says.

Indeed, the style feels fresh yet familiar, a chill graphical twist on classic themes, evoking fans’ fondest memories. “Football rallies communities together to root for a common purpose, and our intros are a key part of telling that story,” Lau says.

The animations provide a neat contrast with last month’s freaky elongated “Prime Ball” play in the run-up to TNF’s launch. (For the record, ratings have been mixed so far, and heading in the wrong direction.)

See other installments of the campaign below:

CREDITS

• Washington Commanders vs. Chicago Bears
executive creative director: peter frankfurt
managing director/ep: tiffani manabat
creative director: grant lau
technical director: jake ferguson
editor: ian gibson, chris hall, marty pugeda
lead animation: jahmad rollins
cel animators: lyuben dimitrov, matt everton, taik lee
storyboard artist: tyler gibb, jaclyn bautista
legend lane designer: angela zhu
legend lane illustrator: lilly lin
designers: ned piyadarakorn, angela zhu, steve fuller, chris salvador, kevin sanchez
2D: nader husseini, christian arnsparger, nick baquero, lilly lin, ella lee, cindy shon
animators: nader husseini, christian arnsparger, lilly lin
head of production: ryan burcham
senior producer: sean sullivan
assistant producer: nic luong
coordinator: aaron carlos, cameron davison

• Indianapolis Colts vs. Denver Broncos
executive creative director: peter frankfurt
managing director/ep: tiffani manabat
creative director: grant lau
technical director: jake ferguson
editor: ian gibson, chris hall, marty pugeda
lead animation: jahmad rollins
cel animators: lyuben dimitrov, matt everton, taik lee
storyboard artist: tyler gibb, jaclyn bautista
lead illustrator: tomoki echigo
designers: ned piyadarakorn, angela zhu, lilly lin, steve fuller, chris salvador, kevin sanchez
2D: nader husseini, christian arnsparger, nick baquero, lilly lin, ella lee, cindy shon
animators: nader husseini, christian arnsparger, lilly lin
head of production: ryan burcham
senior producer: sean sullivan
assistant producer: nic luong
coordinator: aaron carlos, cameron davison

• Miami Dolphins vs. Cincinnati Bengals
executive creative director: peter frankfurt
managing director/ep: tiffani manabat 
creative director: grant lau
editors: ian gibson, chris hall, marty pugeda
lead animation: jahmad rollins
cel animators: dimitrov lyuben, matt everton, taik lee
storyboard artists: tyler gibb, jaclyn bautista 
designers: angela zhu, steve fuller, chris salvador, kathy liang
lead designer: ned piyadarakorn
2d: nader husseini, christian arnsparger, nick baquero,
alphonse swineheart, lilly lin, ella lee, cindy shon
3d: kevin sanchez
technical director: jake ferguson
animators: nader husseini, christian arnsparger, lilly lin
illustrator: tomoki echigo
previz: siddarth john
head of production: ryan burcham
senior producer: sean sullivan
assistant producer: nic luong
coordinator: aaron carlos, cameron davison

• Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns
executive creative director: peter frankfurt
managing director/ep: tiffani manabat 
creative director: grant lau
editors: ian gibson, chris hall, marty pugeda
lead animation: jahmad rollins
cel animators: dimitrov lyuben, matt everton, taik lee
storyboard artists: tyler gibb, jaclyn bautista 
designers: angela zhu, steve fuller, chris salvador, kathy liang
lead designer: ned piyadarakorn
2d: nader husseini, christian arnsparger, nick baquero,
alphonse swineheart, lilly lin, ella lee, cindy shon
3d: kevin sanchez
technical director: jake ferguson
animators: nader husseini, christian arnsparger, lilly lin
illustrator: tomoki echigo
previz: siddarth john
head of production: ryan burcham
senior producer: sean sullivan
assistant producer: nic luong
coordinator: aaron carlos, cameron davison

• Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
executive creative director: peter frankfurt
managing director/ep: tiffani manabat 
creative director: grant lau
editors: ian gibson, chris hall, marty pugeda
lead animation: jahmad rollins
cel animators: dimitrov lyuben, matt everton, taik lee
storyboard artists: tyler gibb, jaclyn bautista 
designers: angela zhu, steve fuller, chris salvador, kathy liang
lead designer: ned piyadarakorn
2d: nader husseini, christian arnsparger, nick baquero,
alphonse swineheart, lilly lin, ella lee, cindy shon
3d: kevin sanchez
technical director: jake ferguson
animators: nader husseini, christian arnsparger, lilly lin
illustrator: tomoki echigo
previz: siddarth john
head of production: ryan burcham
senior producer: sean sullivan
assistant producer: nic luong
coordinator: aaron carlos, cameron davison

Quarterbacks like Russell Willson of the Denver Broncos got in the act, hurling Prime Balls a country mile while keeping a straight face:

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Russell Wilson (@dangerusswilson)

Mainstream media and sports bloggers mulled, debated and fretted over the implications of Prime Balls, 33 of which were created by Wilson for the campaign. Everyone knew it was a prank … still.

Such coverage drove views ahead of the not-so-surprising reveal—featuring Wilson and fellow stars Matthew Stafford, Justin Herbert and Richard Sherman—that brand-boosting fakery was afoot:

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by NFL On Prime Video (@nflonprime)

And so, real-time NFL games come to the Prime Video app, which boasts some 80 million U.S. subscribers. Thankfully, that funky ball will remain on the sidelines.

Muse caught up with Leo Macias, global VP of marketing and activation at Prime Video and Amazon Studios, who breaks down the Prime Ball experience.

Muse: So, you brainstormed ideas, and somebody said, “Hey! Let’s make a wacky football!” Is that how it went down?

Leo Macias: When the news initially broke about Prime Video serving as the new home for Thursday Night Football, a lot of the chatter was about how the game would be changed forever. We decided to play into that conversation with this campaign. The idea was that we would create a stunt to hint that not only is Prime Video changing the way you watch the game, but we’re also changing the most important part of the game—the actual football. So, we did just that.

The target audience was hardcore fans?

Prime Video wanted to implement a fun stunt that would remind football fans, especially those hesitant about watching their favorite game via Prime Video, that we aren’t changing anything about the game—just where and how you watch it. We really leaned into social media tactics because we saw how active football fans are across these platforms—TikTok, Twitter and Instagram. By tapping major names in the league—Wilson, Stafford, Herbert, Sherman, Rice—and utilizing their social media channels, we knew we would reach our target audience through their fan bases.

Did the intense feedback surprise you? Some of it was negative, bashing Prime Ball as a silly stunt.

Drumming up conversation on social media was a huge element and goal for this stunt. We saw a ton of engagement on TikTok—fans taking over the comments section and even creating their own videos to report on the news. We love the chatter and the buzz. The strong reactions were expected. We actually don’t see that as a negative. This is part of what made it a great, buzzed-about conversation.

Beyond buzz, was there a broader business goal? Simply a lot of fans don’t know what to expect from Thursday Night Football. How does this address that?

Our goal is to build trust. We get it. This is a new way to watch the game, but we promise, the Thursday Night Football experience will be better than ever, and we hope this fun, lighthearted stunt shows fans that we get where they are coming from and encourages them to tune in to see what the new TNF is all about.

Any thought of mass-producing the balls as collectibles? Maybe use them in contests?

We gave the prototypes away on social media as part of the campaign. There is an opportunity to continue having fun with Thursday Night Football. Fans, stay tuned!

CREDITS

PRIME VIDEO CREATIVES: Leo Macias, Jared Goldsmith, Evan Brady, Ricardo Franco, Angelo Maia
PRIME VIDEO PRODUCTION: Erin Ryder (Lead Creative Producer), Ross Gasmer (Lead Creative Producer), Andy Edwards (Creative Producer),
DIRECTOR: Ari Fararooy
DP: William Start
ADDTL PRODUCTION COMPANY: Ari Fararooy Productions, Andrea Saavedra (Producer)
VIDEO EDITORS/POST TEAM: Dave Nolte (Editor Scratch Creative LA),  J.D. Pruess (AV Producer), Ari Fararooy Productions (VFX and Editing)
AGENCY: ATLANTIC NEW YORK
ATLANTIC CO-FOUNDERS, CCOs: João Coutinho and Marco Pupo
ATLANTIC CREATIVES: AO Omar Baker, Elizabeth Cala, Dan Greener, Jessica Morford, Marcelo Romko, Patrick Conlon, Sam Simões
ATLANTIC STRATEGY: Gabriela Conci, Gavin May
ATLANTIC PRODUCTION (VFX Video/Ball Production): Greg Jenkins, Sam Simões, Ben Bentsman, Francisco De Deus
ATLANTIC MANAGING DIRECTOR: Suzanne Barbosa
3D BALL GFX: Fuze Image Maker
SOCIAL MANAGEMENT [Prime Video]: Gigi Clark, Ryan Irwin
Post Credits
VFX Supervisor – Ari Fararooy
Post Producer – Raquel Gonzales
Lead VFX Artist – Ari Fararooy
VFX Artists – Aaron Blanchard, Lauren Riccardi
CG Artists – Sam Leffell, Josh Micley, Angela Gonzales, Alex Katz
Assistant Editor – Alexa Mocley

Biles’ fiancée, Jonathan Owens of the Houston Texans, doesn’t appear, but judging by that cheerleading jersey—and her IG post below—she’ll be rooting him on all season.

 

 

 

 

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In the clip, Jordan enthuses “There’s no game like this game! There ain’t no time like this time!” Lil Wayne goes wild with the T-shirt cannon. And Tucker lets fly with some opera at the end:

 

 

 

 

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Tagged “It Feels Good to Football” and directed in suitably frenetic fashion by Superprime’s Emmett and Brandon Malloy—who scored with EA’s John Madden tribute—the :75 sizzles with sick sounds and sassy style. It calls back to the 2022 Super Bowl halftime extravaganza featuring Dre, Snoop, Mary J. Blige, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar, reminding us of the game’s vaunted place in popular culture.

All in all, it’s a smart OTT play, somewhat reminiscent of NBA efforts, weaving the league into the fabric of our lives and clearly aimed at a young, hip demo while also appealing to hardcore fans. The spectacle feels on point, as nothing says mainstream Americana like a pep rally. And this one doesn’t even suck. Heck, there’s no befuddled vice principal in sight!

On hand, however, along with those noted above, are Cleveland Browns mascot Chomps, the Carolina Panthers cheerleaders, DJ Liva, NFL on Nickelodeon’s Young Dylan, Buffalo Bills superfan Pinto Ron, social media influencer Frankie Lapenna and boxer Ryan Garcia.

“We are blurring the lines between football, music, fashion and modern culture,” NFL CMO Tim Ellis tells Muse. “It’s about delivering a constant stream of energy and vitality that makes football feel exciting and relevant to a new generation of fans. This particular spot is meant to bring people together over their shared passion and love for the game.”

He adds: “We brought together the biggest stars in sports and hip-hop to strategically appeal to our key demographics of youth, women and the Latino community—while spotlighting our players who continue to be the face of football.”

The NFL’s 103rd season kicks off Thursday at SoFi Stadium when the Buffalo Bills play the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams. The ad will air during that game, with cutdowns appearing across various platforms.

CREDITS

Brand: National Football League
Creative Agency: 72andSunny Los Angeles
Production: Superprime
Director: The Malloys
Editorial/Post: Union Editorial
Mix: Barking Owl
Finishing: A52

Muse: To start off, were either of you big football fans growing up?

Tim Ellis: Oh, we’re both football fans. In fact, we’re rivals. I’m a 49ers fan, and this guy is a Seahawks fan. And it’s become one of the biggest rivalries in the NFL. Although right now I’m not sure they are, but we’ll see.

Glenn Cole: [laughs] He beat me to it. Yeah, I’ve been a Seahawks fan all my life. And also Eagles fan. I have family in Philly. But yeah, the Seahawks decided to hit the implode button in the last few weeks. My son is already going Chargers.

Tim Ellis: It’s all right. We love all 32 teams.

Muse: Tim, you worked with 72andSunny when you were CMO at Activision. What were your first conversations about what you could do together at the NFL?

Tim Ellis: We worked together for seven years at Activision, so I understood the strengths of the agency, and of Glenn in particular. There was a good deal of trust and faith in their capabilities. But we ended up doing a full-out pitch because I wanted the best ideas. Relationships are very valuable, and trust and credibility are incredibly important in this business. On the other hand, my job is to get the best work for the brand.

So when we initiated the pitch. I wanted 72andSunny in there. I knew they were capable for the job. And the initial conversations were great. I could feel their passion and excitement for the game, which is very important. And I had a pretty clear vision of the potential of NFL marketing and of the NFL brand. They understood that very clearly, and bought into it.

Muse: Glenn, your feelings coming in?

Glenn Cole: Well, my feeling was, “What the fuck is this pitch all about?” [laughs] But it made absolute sense. Tim rightfully points out there’s more stakeholders than him involved, right up to Roger [Goodell]. It’s one of the most important levers for their business, the marketing of this entertainment brand. The marketing has to hit an entertainment standard, and it will be evaluated that way, whether you want it to or not. The NFL is arguably the king of unscripted entertainment. So I understood that. I was frustrated but confident.

For me personally, I spent the first 10 years of my career working on Nike soccer, helping turn Nike from a basketball brand into a global soccer brand. There’s some parallels there. And I was working in Europe. So we’ve always had a shorthand about sport. There was trust there that we saw the landscape the same way. And the agency team is built from that DNA.

I do remember the pitch being very competitive, which it should be. It reminded me of doing work for Nike, where everybody thinks it’s easy to do Nike things. It’s absolutely the hardest thing to do because the standard is so high. And the other agencies were the best in the world. But we tried to listen a lot, and we were able to convince the other stakeholders we were the right call. And then we also had the work that landed it.

Muse: The pitch was toward the end of 2018. You got your first work out in the world pretty soon after that.

Glenn Cole: Work was out within three weeks. The Super Bowl ad—the one in the ballroom—was out within a month and a half. I consider those two of the best things we’ve done as a company, and definitely in this partnership with Tim.

Tim Ellis: There was definitely some risk involved with that first big campaign we did for the Super Bowl. I don’t think the NFL ever had more than a handful of players in a spot. We had over 50 players for that spot—the biggest names who ever played the game, ranging from Jim Brown, 80 years old, to some of the young guys coming up who are in the early 20s. To get all those players together and to figure out how to execute it within literally a few weeks … that was a very stressful situation.

And by the way, I’ve never hired an agency where I didn’t want to run at least one or two pieces of work they presented. I listen carefully to the recommendations around strategy and the business, but I always look at the work and how they express the strategy in the work. If I can’t see it, I don’t buy it. I always need something where I feel like, “I would run that tomorrow.” So the spot we ended up running [on the Super Bowl] was almost identical to one they presented, at least in concept. The execution changed quite a bit, of course.

I remember Glenn and the guys said, “We love the spot, too, but we can’t do it for Super Bowl. It’s not enough time. We can run it for kickoff [in fall 2019].” I said, “No, it’s a Super Bowl spot. We have to do it.”

Muse: The work for the playoffs that winter came out even quicker.

Tim Ellis: The creative for playoffs was called “We Ready,” and the spine of it was this video of a high school team who were doing a chant in the locker room. I got the chills when I heard it. So I said, “We have to run that for the playoffs.” And again, they found a way to bring it to life and execute it within a few weeks.

I feel like 72 understood the heart of the athlete, that mix between modernity and badass. And then just the open, transparent human emotion. All those things combined, to me, were the magic recipe for the NFL. To this day, if you look at all our work, it is a combination of all those things. Raw, transparent emotion. Badass athleticism. Openness and honesty.

Muse: So, as CMO, were those the main pillars you wanted to build the brand around?

Tim Ellis: The real strategy was to get the helmets off the players. We called it the “helmets off” strategy, and it was about diving into youth culture and really speaking to younger audiences—which helped us bring in that new generation of fans who are either distracted or disinterested in the NFL, and also helped us drive energy and a sense of rejuvenation into the brand.

The brand had begun to feel kind of stale, almost like a grumpy old man. And so we wanted to inject a sense of vitality and youthfulness, and also honesty. Raw, human honesty, and getting behind the players and what they cared about. Those were the strategic pillars around a more human approach for the NFL.

Muse: And Glenn, 72 had the chops based on the youth work you’d been doing.

Glenn Cole: Youth brands and sports brands have been the core of 72. We started working with Nike on their global soccer stuff, even when they were in relationship with Wieden[+Kennedy]. Adidas, K-Swiss. But to build on what Tim was saying about the helmets-off strategy—we were very determined not to have our voice, the NFL, be the voice of the NFL brand. If you go to the NFL’s mission, the first sentence is, “We are the stewards of football.” We were like, “Oh, there it is. Let’s get back to the first sentence of the mission.”

That leads to to: “What is football?” “Who is football?” Well, football is the people who play it. And so we made a decision creatively to let the voice be the voice of the players, which aligned with Tim’s helmets-off strategy. So all of our digging—it was editorial. It was found artifacts, quotes, speeches, locker-room soundbites that viscerally captured what the game is about. Let’s reconnect people through those voices, not the NFL’s voice. People don’t want to hear the NFL’s voice. They want to hear the players—football’s voice.

It’s funny, that locker room thing. It was a team in Tennessee, a high school team—that was actually our internal team’s mantra. We would watch that before staff meetings, before creative reviews, just to get pumped up. And by the end, we’re all jumping out of our chairs. Jason Norcross, one of the partners and ECDs at the company, said, “I think this should be the first thing the NFL puts out.” Get behind these guys. It’s high school footballers, but we’re like, “It’s about the NFL. It’s about football.” That was, to me, when we landed on, “Oh, it’s the voice of football. It’s not even NFL players to start. That’s the gold mine. Everything we do is going to mine this game.” And if you look at the last three years of work, I think you’ll find we’ve stuck to that.

Tim Ellis: Even our youth football. We talked about the teenagers from Tennessee in the playoff commercials. We also have girls’ flag football. The Predators were in our kickoff commercial this past year. Two years ago, our Super Bowl ad that ended up winning an Emmy—that was just kids throughout the country. It was one of the prolific players, Bunchie, and 32 other kids and just elevating them. So elevating youth football, but again, using the athlete, the player, as a central part of our strategy and our executions. And it’s worked very well.

Glenn Cole: Those young guys were, for that beat, the voice of the game.

Muse: So this focus compelled fandom in a way the previous work hadn’t.

Tim Ellis: We test every single ad, and we have an ongoing quantitative tracking study, so we really know which specific pieces of communication are landing or not. And I will say that the ads we’ve just been discussing here, those are the ones that really resonated with the emerging fan of the NFL, which is the young fan, the fan of color, and female fans.

What we found is that the more mature fans, if you will, they enjoy the energy [of the new work]. Some of our messaging around cause marketing and social justice marketing, in particular, some of that’s been more controversial or even polarizing for them—essentially the older white-male segments. But it has not driven them from the game. They still continue to be fans, and it really has brought more fans and more avid fans. 

A lot of our work is not just bringing in new fans, it’s making a casual fan an avid fan. So by getting behind the players’ causes and interests, as well as being very open and transparent about societal issues, it’s helped us not only gain their attention, but gain their fandom.

Glenn Cole: It wasn’t just the voice. It was the voice plus the messages. I bucket them all under community, unity and purpose. Those are probably the three we get the most. Everybody has an opinion on the NFL. So, unlike certain products or brands where it might be more narrowly segmented, you really have to hit everybody, like Tim said. So to make sure the 50-plus set, or if my dad and mom are also on board, I think all the work is always pretty visceral. Do you feel it? We almost put the feels before the message sometimes. You can end up in the same spot, but I think we got a lot of the these [older] fans on board because it’s still delivering some of this stuff in a “Let’s effing go” kind of way.

Muse: Let’s talk about “Football Is Gay,” your Pride spot from last year. That’s certainly new messaging from the NFL that not every fan will be on board with. How did that process begin?

Tim Ellis: After Carl [Nassib, then a defensive end for the Las Vegas Raiders] came out [on June 21, 2021], it was very inspiring to everybody. I got on the phone with the team and just said, “Hey, I know there’s no time here, but what can we do? I want to do something.” We just started thinking, “OK, what’s the way that we could get it done in time and still do something impactful and emotional that people would pay attention to and talk about?” 

The guys got back to me like, “Yes, we definitely want to do this.” And so they went back and had a couple of different ways in. And then this one way in that they had, which was actually quite easy to execute. I thought immediately, “Wow, that’s bold.” And what was interesting about that was that the first words that came up on the screen were “Football is gay.” I remember Glenn said, on the call, and he goes, “By the way, if anybody says those shouldn’t be the first few words…” I said, “Don’t even say it. I know they have to be. Don’t even say it.”

Glenn Cole: So we got to lock arms and be united. You’re supporting this community or you’re not. Small degrees are going to feel like big whitewashing if we don’t.

Tim Ellis: Now, there were people within the organization, the NFL family, who were uncomfortable with it. And we had to really think about that. But we just thought it was the right thing to do. And we thought, it’s OK if some people aren’t comfortable with it. There’s fans who aren’t comfortable with it. There were players, there were owners who were uncomfortable with it. But ultimately, it spoke to the people we were trying to reach and bring in. 

There was a really beautiful story. I don’t know if you’re aware of it—the Rainbow Dads, two gay dads, who had a son, and they never felt comfortable taking their son to a game. They were Bills fans. And after they saw that ad, they went on and did this TikTok video, which created a lot of attention, with their son. And they ended up going to a game and they had a great experience. In fact, I’m accepting an award next month, and the Rainbow Dads are going to introduce me.

@rainbowdads Can’t thank the @nfl & @buffalobills enough for hosting us at our first Family NFL game. Thank you for accepting our family. #nfl #football #fyp #lgbt ♬ original sound – Big Forge

Muse: I’ll be honest, I was surprised to see that work. I assumed the concerns from various stakeholders would be too much.

Tim Ellis: There was a lot of pressure, there’s no doubt about that.

Glenn Cole: Again, it’s the players. Carl made it happen. It’s not like we haven’t wanted to say that, but we’ve given the microphone, the pen of the authorship of the NFL brand, to the players. We’d supported them for two years up to that point with anything they said was important to them. Both with the stuff 72 did, but also stuff Tim and Ian [Trombetta, head of social, influencer and content marketing for the NFL] and the rest of the organization has been doing. Which is, “You said that’s important to you. We’re going to have your back.” Carl said that, and I think the absence of support would have been much louder than anything we actually made.

Tim Ellis: Every year we do a lot of content around Pride. So it wasn’t as if we weren’t going to do any special pieces. But that was specifically because of Carl. And one of the things I’m really proud is that we not only ran that during the month of Pride, but we also ran it at kickoff [in the fall].

Glenn Cole: Which is the conversation we had at the beginning. If we’re going to do this, we’re going to show up again during the season and really support this thing. And Tim was immediate. He cut us off and was like, “Yeah, yeah, absolutely.”

Muse: There’s obviously shades of Nike there—the Kaepernick stuff, taking a stand on an issue that’s polarizing. Do you take inspiration from that work?

Glenn Cole: I spent my career at Wieden, so I think it’s implicit—conscious and unconscious.

Tim Ellis: Nike have also really found a way to understand and bring to life, in a very emotional way, the heart of the athlete. So, certainly. One of the accomplishments we’ve made here at the NFL is that—Nike are one of our biggest partners, and when they saw the work we were doing and the strategies we had and we met for the first time, they were like, “Wow. This could be our presentation.” Obviously, it was uniquely NFL. But I think that was a real compliment that they felt like the quality and the thinking and the humanity and creativity around the expression of the work was up to their standards.

Glenn Cole: They’re masters of provocation and truth—using mass media to deliver uncomfortable truths. So it’s from that playbook, for sure.

Muse: There are other uncomfortable truths involving the NFL. The political issues that were polarizing with Colin. Issues of racism. The safety issue, where some kids are not playing the game because of the danger of concussions. What conversations do you guys have on those issues—whether and how to deal with them?

Tim Ellis: The important thing is to have really good, deep conversations about these issues and also to expose Glenn and his group to all of the executives and experts over here at the NFL. So it’s not just me giving a brief, or my team giving a written brief. We bring them together to have deeper conversations around the issues, so there’s a real understanding.

Glenn Cole: The first question is, what is the NFL doing in this space? Before we start talking, we’re going to be scrutinized for what we’ve done—and we should be. Some of the creative work ends up being actions, not messages. I have a 15-year-old son who just went to high school and had to make the decision about football or other. That’s really real.

Tim Ellis: Like every brand, there are certain things where we say, “Well, because of these legal reasons or whatever, we just can’t say this.” I don’t ever say we can’t say something unless we really can’t say it. If it’s up for debate, let’s talk about it. But you have to have these discussions. Not only do I introduce the 72 team to all of our executives and all of our experts over here, I also volunteer to speak not just to the teams working on our work at 72andSunny but the entire agency. I want them to understand. I want them to be proud to work for the NFL, or at least understand it, whether they like something or not.

Some of the things you’re referring to, whether it be safety or race issues, harassment, those are very, very serious issues and complex. And if you’re going to try to do some kind of PSA or marketing behind it, it really requires deep thought and discussion before you decide on what you’re going to do.

Muse: How does the process work in practice? How often do your teams meet?

Glenn Cole: Our day-to-day teams talk a couple of times a week to just see where things are at, which is somewhat typical. I think what’s unique, relative to our other clients is, the phone is constantly at work. Me calling Tim, Tim calling me, our ECD Zach Hilder, our head of brand Shane [Chastang] calling Tim or his deputies. “Hey, we’re thinking about something.” “We’re concerned about something.” “What do you think about … ?” “Hey, we’re going to show up in two days and this is where we’re going.” It’s so trusting that it’s just literally like calling friends and getting a bounce on things. I don’t know if friendship is the right word, but the trusting, “Just call me,” “Let’s just talk.”

At the core of this, from our perspective, there is a very, very clear commitment Tim makes, at least annually, to the relationship. That’s kind of rare right now, especially coming out of Covid—everything’s a project; it must be 95 percent projects [in the ad industry], to my eye. We do have some steady relationships, but I think in general, in the business, it’s more like, “Let’s see how it goes after this one” or “I can afford this right now. Let’s just do this.”

And we don’t have that with Tim. And the consequence, both intended and I think also unintended, is that nobody’s worrying about that. Tim doesn’t have to worry if he’s getting truth or not; he knows he’s getting truth. And I don’t have to worry about our teams consciously or unconsciously trying to tell him something we think they want to hear because you want to stay on the roster. Those are not big secrets, but that’s why this works.

Tim Ellis: Also, at the end of the day, we both really want great work. I don’t want work that’s just going to get me through the next day, or that won’t create any kind of backlash or controversy, or won’t get me fired or whatever. I don’t even think about that. I think about, “I want great work.” That’s it. 

Obviously, I’m paid to drive business, but I believe in the power and the ROI of great work, and I know the agency knows that, and I know they’re not telling me something just because they think it might get through or it’ll get sold.

Glenn Cole: Tim has a mantra, whether he knows it or not, which I coach my teams on. I tell them, “Guys, the feedback is going to be ‘Make it emotional,’ so just let’s skip the step where we’re presenting work that’s not.”

Muse: I’m curious about formats and platforms—new media, TikTok, music, gaming. There’s so many places this brand can go. How do you navigate that? Is there a north star for finding the consumers you want to find?

Tim Ellis: We do a lot of that stuff in-house, and I think we do it pretty well. Glenn sees it, and he comments. His team sees it, and they comment on it. Sometimes they come up with ideas that we end up using as well. We were presenting at Brand Innovators not too long ago, and Ian Trombetta, who does all our social influencer marketing, he’s really a tremendous marketer, and Glenn and his team are going, “Shit, that’s great work. We’ve got to be getting inspired by some of that in our work.”

We’ve been very aggressive when it comes to all these different platforms and opportunities. We have very strong relationships with Twitter and TikTok and Snapchat, and all of them. We’re always working closely with them to do things than aren’t just firsts for us, but are first-to-platform. That’s when you really know you’re doing well when they’re doing things for the first time—with you.

Glenn Cole: We’ll design ideas for the big beats—kickoff or playoffs or Salute to Service month. We’ll design them around those new media. Sometimes those are the north star, even though 72andSunny might not be responsible for executing it. We’ll give Ian’s team thought-starters. And they often come up with something better. Like Tim said, they’re a strategic input because they’re right at the front lines of what the players and fans are saying in the moment. That’s where the insights are coming from, really.

Tim Ellis: One of the things we did a few years ago when I came is we hired all these content creators. They’re called LCCs [live content correspondents]. There’s over 100 of them now. And they are responsible for basically getting intimate with players on the sidelines and also off the field. And sometimes these guys end up even hiring them to be their personal documentarian. And they still work for us, but we’ve basically given to them big players. They provide really great intimate content, which fans just love. They love that access. And then we’ve seen things happen with some of that work that then spin off and become bigger ideas by themselves.

 

 

 

 

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Muse: Tell me about this year’s NFL Super Bowl spot, and how it embodied where the brand is right now.

Tim Ellis: We could see it in the data and we could just feel that fans were looking more for an escape. They didn’t want to pretend as if Covid hadn’t happened, or that we were out of the woods on the pandemic, but they clearly were looking for more fun and for more enjoyment around the game.

I saw some work from this group out of New Orleans [Swaybox Studios] who were working on two big blockbuster films, and I thought it was really cool—puppetry animation. So I asked for some examples of what they were doing, and I brought it to Glenn and Zach and I said, “Look how cool this shit is. We can make players out of this.” And they were just as excited, and went back and worked on this concept of how to bring these players to life through puppetry. 

We got on it very early. It took us almost nine months to produce. Neither one of us had ever worked on anything like that before—we were sort of feeling our way through it in the dark. And this company never worked with a marketing or advertising firm before. They were used to working with directors and producers who say, “Go off and do this,” and then come back in two or three months, whereas we were steady involved pretty much every day.

Glenn Cole: All great things are tough at stages, and this had its challenges, particularly at the end. With every Super Bowl thing, that last 10 meters of the 100-meter race is where the winner’s determined. So that was rough, but what I was excited about, and I’m still excited about, is the NFL is one of the great, still under-leveraged IP’s in entertainment. You see where Marvel is going, you see where Disney is going, you see where all these things are franchising. And the NFL has done obviously an incredible job over the last 30, 50 years doing that. But now, in this new media world we’re in, we see so much opportunity to create new IPs, how people think of the game in new ways and create other storylines and other ways of expressing football or football players, which is what this was the beginning of.

The NBA did a great job with Space Jam at one point, building off marketing concepts. You don’t have to squint too hard to see this and go, “That could be something you can scale into programming.” So I think getting into ideas that could be kickoffs for entertainment platforms is a lot of where the excitement is for us going forward—for both of us. All these new relationships the NFL has, these contracts with Amazon and some of the other streamers, it’s opening up a lot of potential for innovation. That’s what I hear they’re all craving, too. And we have all the raw materials—we have the mythology, the heroism, the stories. Even when the game is not happening, like this off-season, it’s full of stories. We’re just now starting to figure out how can we have fun with this in new ways.

Muse: You need a really flexible view of the brand to make that work.

Glenn Cole: You do.

Tim Ellis: I think that’s such a great look for the NFL. Taking risks and doing things that haven’t done before. It speaks to a brand that’s dynamic, forward-leaning and modern.

Glenn Cole: Not the “No Fun League.”

Tim Ellis: And all these things take risk. We did a spot the year before where we did this big hologram on the field. And the film itself was really strong, but that hologram didn’t turn out exactly the way we wanted.

Glenn Cole: I think the key is, you said, “This big hologram.” I think the learning is, don’t go life-size—5-foot-8 is not impressive enough as a hologram.

Tim Ellis: We took a risk, and it didn’t turn out the way we hoped. I remember we were there on the field watching it come to life, and I’m looking at Glenn he’s looking at me…

Glenn Cole: You turned and looked at me, and I became the Homer Simpson GIF where he goes back into the bushes. [laughs]

Tim Ellis: But that’s risk. You have to be willing to fail. And that means you might fail, by the way.

Glenn Cole: We’re picking on the hologram, but the message about unity, through the return of Vince Lombardi, really landed. So I think when you shoot far enough, even if you slip in execution a little, you’ll still land with some people. As opposed to just executing what we think is safe.

These past few years felt scary, I will say. Even this year, with the characters coming out of the TV, as much as part of me is like, “Well, that’s just an obvious touchdown of an idea,” it still is scary. I still wanted other things to be executed differently. We would have done more with it if we could do it again, but hopefully, that’s the trajectory.

Tim Ellis: Laird Hamilton, the surfer, likes to say that at some point every day he wants to be afraid of losing his life. He wants to be afraid he’s going to die every day. And so he does stuff, even if it’s submerging himself in ice. And I sort of feel that way from a creativity standpoint. If everything feels too safe or like what we did last year, or a campaign I saw a year ago, then I don’t get excited. I don’t feel right. Glenn and I push each other and try to get to a place where we know there’s something that could be brilliant or special and unique. But there’s also risk. And I think that’s where we’re most comfortable.

Muse: You want to be on the 50-foot wave.

Tim Ellis: Yeah, I do.

Ian Trombetta is SVP of social, influencer and content marketing for the NFL. In this role, Ian oversees the integration of social strategies and content development across all social platforms for the league, player, collegiate and club handles. 

He is also responsible for developing an entirely new influencer marketing department with a mission of creating authentic initiatives which leverage the platform of the NFL to reach priority audiences. In addition, Ian’s Content Marketing Group is responsible for creating promotional assets that span across Broadcast, Digital, Social, Sponsorship, and more.

Ian joined the NFL from Activision Blizzard Inc., where he served as global VP of consumer marketing under the Tim Ellis, who is now the NFL’s CMO. Prior to Activision, Ian was head of brand marketing at Red Bull North America. He spent the early portion of his career on the agency side at agencies such as TBWAChiatDay.

We spoke to Ian for our Time-Out series, where we chat with folks in the sports world about their favorite athletes, teams, sports movies and shows, and their love of sports generally.

Ian, tell us…

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

I was born in Pasadena, California, and spent most of my childhood in San Diego County. As of the past seven months, my wife and I live in Tribeca, NYC. I often get asked the question—which coast do you prefer? The answer is BOTH. The best days in New York are unlike any city in the world. However, the quality of day-to-day life in L.A. is pretty good as well. 

Your favorite sports memory.

My favorite sports memory was back in 1992. My best friend was fighting cancer and the Make-A-Wish Foundation reached out to his family. His wish was to go with me to visit the original Dream Team while they were practicing in San Diego. And yes, this was THE DREAM TEAM with Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley and all the other legends. We were the only ones allowed in the gym along with his mom, and we watched them practice against each other. Then it got even better …

The best college players of that era arrived to scrimmage the Dream Team. This included Chris Webber, Grant Hill, Penny Hardaway and several other future NBA stars. We heard rumors that they actually beat the Dream Team the day before, and we were really excited to watch the rematch. Needless to say, the Dream Team put on an absolute display of excellence that I will never forget. More importantly, it was one of best moments that my best friend John and I were able to spend together.

Your favorite sports teams.

Pretty much all things Pittsburgh. My dad was born in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania—a well-known football factory—and actually went to high school with Mike Ditka. When I really think about it, I mirror my dad in virtually everything I do. My sports allegiances are just another example of how much he has helped shape me even as an adult.

Your favorite athlete.

My favorite of all time is Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers. An incredibly instinctive player who epitomized the essence of being team-first.

Your favorite sports show or podcast.

I am really into Lex Fridman these days. He is someone that approaches every podcast with a level of empathy and positive intent that I feel we all could utilize in our interactions online and in person.

Your favorite sports movie.

Hoosiers. I remember watching that movie in the theater with my best friend, who died a few years later from cancer. It was a movie full of underdogs and imperfect heroes that I could relate to, and they ultimately achieved what many thought was impossible. An incredible true story of hard work and perseverance. 

A recent project you’re proud of.

I try not to look at things on only a project level and more from a holistic brand health perspective over the course of the year. That being said, if I had to choose one, I am particularly proud of the work we have done recently around our cause marketing efforts. Specifically with My Cause My Cleats, where we highlight the charities that each of our players celebrate during the season. This year, we had over 1,000 current players participate, and we created an entire 360 program around the initiative.

Someone else’s project that you admired recently.

I really thought Pepsi did a great job with extending the most recent Super Bowl Halftime Show in L.A. The excitement for this particular show was unlike anything I have seen since joining the NFL and Pepsi did a wonderful job of building excitement with their announcement as well as their assets featuring the five prominent artists, led by Dr. Dre.

What sports can do that nothing else can.

Sports, and football in particular, naturally breaks down barriers. There was a recent CNN article that highlighted the rarity behind the NFL bringing both red and blue states together. I believe there is some level of truth to that, and we embrace that responsibility. That’s when sports are at their absolute best—bringing different communities together.

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in the sports world.

I would be working on a disruptive brand that is probably like some of the ones I have worked on prior to the NFL. In my spare time, I would be actively monitoring everything related to the league and the Steelers. ?