Serena Williams, renowned for her unparalleled triumphs on the tennis court, has once again volleyed her way into the limelight with a new venture. The multifaceted entrepreneur, athlete, mom and cultural icon just unveiled WYN Beauty, a makeup line that emphasizes empowerment and inclusivity.

To say that this feels like a stroke of creative genius would be an understatement. Yes, I might be a little biased as Williams (my friend Serena, in my head) is a personal hero to me and millions of women across the globe. But that aside, there’s something truly special about the way Serena approaches marketing.

Williams could have chosen any beauty house to launch a makeup line, but she collaborated with The Good Glamm Group, one of Asia’s largest platforms dedicated to supporting and accelerating mom micro-entrepreneurs.

The brand also has diversity at its core with a range of 35 foundation shades and a health-focused mission to “support organizations that provide necessary maternal care services to mothers and their communities.” These elements reflect the challenges Williams faced when searching for cosmetics to compliment her skin tone and navigating the trauma of a life-threatening childbirth experience. 

By selecting a partner with values that mirror her own and creating a brand that pulls from her life journey, Williams is making a statement about the kind of world she wants to see. It’s one where women from all walks of life are empowered to chase their dreams and succeed on their own terms.

Her beauty brand is a reflection of who she is and her unwavering commitment to authenticity and inclusivity. She’s not just selling makeup; she’s using her platform to uplift and empower women everywhere. WYN Beauty is also a manifestation of what Williams is—a winner—exactly what she’s inspired other women to be in their own right.

Standing out in a crowded marketplace like beauty is hard. But Williams has already shown she can slice through the noise and resonate with consumers by being true to who she is.

Creatives and marketers everywhere should be taking notes.

Not every product can have the power of Williams behind it. But aligning with purpose-driven partners can potentially elevate a brand from being just another contender to a source of real inspiration.

Welcome to Muse’s coverage of the ads of Super Bowl LVII. See the full commercials as they’re released leading up to the Big Game on Feb. 12. We’ll have all the spots here post-game, too.

Amazon

Man’s best friend can use a four-legged best friend. 

Avocados From Mexico — Lerma

Since the beginning of time, Avocados From Mexico makes everything greener and naked. Anna Faris stars. Read our story.

Booking.com — Zulu Alpha Kilo

Melissa McCarthy needs a vacay, stat! She’s not picky on location, but child care is a MUST! Booking.com comes to the rescue. Read our take on the campaign.

Bud Light — Anomaly

Miles and Keleigh Teller—and their dog Bugsy—adorably make the most of hold call music. Click here for more.

Busch Light — The Martin Agency

Finally, we can hear Sarah McLahlan’s “Angel” in and not want to cry. Read our full story about the self-aware spot.

Crowdstrike — in-house

Cyberattcacks are modern-day Trojan horses in this ad for cybersecurity firm, Crowdstrike.

Crown Royal — Anomaly

Dave Grohl thanks Canada for a bevy of inventions, like hockey, paint and FOOTBALL in Crown Royal’s Super Bowl ad. 

Dexcom — Marcus Thomas

Nick Jonas, a Type 1 diabetic, returns to the Super Bowl for Dexcom to explain how the G7 glucose monitoring system works.

Disney

Disney turns 100 and looks back at many highlights (Lion King, Toy Story, Frozen, Steamboat Willie) in a 90-second ad. 

Doordash — The Martin Agency

Doordash “gets” groceries and tapped Chef Matty Matheson from Hulu’s The Bear and Raekwon from Wu-Tang to star in its Super Bowl ad. Watch Raekwon hold a carton of cream as a shopper recites lyrics from “C.R.E.A.M.”

Doritos — Goodby Silverstein & Partners

When Jack Harlow is creatively blocked, he finds inspiration in the shape of Doritos and tries another angle—the triangle. He goes all in on the instrument, selling it, teaching it, even spurring a new awards category. Watch to see who wins “Triangle Player of the Year.”

Downy — Saatchi & Saatchi

The Downy Unstopables spokesdude is revealed as Danny McBride. Now, he’s going to spread the brand’s good word, one cul-de-sac at a time.

DraftKings — Hartbeat

Attendees at Kevin Hart’s Super Bowl party include the Undertaker, David Ortiz, Ludacris, Tony Hawk, Emmitt Smith, Julius Erving and Lisa Leslie. Plus there’s a cheese sculpture crafted in his likeness. More on the ad here.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

The RPG gets a big game audience ahead of its March 31 movie release. 

Dunkin’

Ben Affleck, heavy emphasis on that Boson accent, mans a DD drive-thru with a cameo from JLO. 

e.l.f.

Jennifer Coolidge loves e.l.f.’s sticky primer—”I look like a baby dolphin”—and it keeps makeup and anything else it comes into contact with, in place.

E*Trade — MullenLowe

The E*Trade baby is the best man at a pal’s wedding. Cue the stroller jokes in the wedding speech!

FanDuel — Wieden+Kennedy New York

Tune in live during the third quarter to see how Ron Gronkowski’s “Kick of Destiny” turns out. Here’s the last pre-game ad promoting Gronk’s 25-yard field goal attempt.

Farmer’s Dog — in-house

The Farmer’s Dog launches it’s first-ever Super Bowl ad with a 60-second spot that follows the milestones of Ava and her beloved dog, Bear. 

Google 

Stars, like Doja Cat, Giannis Antetokoumnpo and Amy Schumer, are just like us. Their photo game could use a little work. Google’s Super Bowl ad promotes the Pixel 7 and features like Magic Eraser and Photo Unblur to elevate everyone’s photo skills. More coverage here.

He Gets Us — Lerma/

Jesus has entered the Super Bowl with two ads—”Love Your Enemies” and “Be Childlike,”—encouraging viewers to love their enemies and to view people and situations through the eyes of a child.

Hellman’s — Wunderman Thompson

Jon Hamm and Brie Larson are the ham and cheese inside a fridge—and then a hungry Pete Davidson shows up.

Jeep — Highdive

The Electric Slide and dancing animals combine to promote Jeep’s EV.

Kia — David&Goliath

Kia’s Super Bowl ad for its Telluride X-Pro gives us the kind of breaking news car chase we’re here for—a frenzied dad, driving through rough terrain to get his baby’s forgotten binky. 

M&M’s

Where Maya Rudolph sings about candy coated clam bites.

Michelob Ultra — Wieden+Kennedy New York

Tony Romo, Serena Williams, Brian Cox, Alex Morgan, Canelo Alvarez and Nneka Ogwumik in a Caddyshack spoof. Click here for more.

Molson Coors — Droga 5

It began with Miller Lite and Coors Light duking it out to stake their claim for commercial rights. It ended up being a Blue Moon commercial.

Netflix and GM — The Community

Will Ferrell journeys through various Netflix shows in different GM EVs. Watch Ferrell transform before your eyes in Army of the Dead, Squid Game, Stranger Things, Love is Blind and Bridgerton. Don’t worry, no EVs in the latter. That would be weird. Additional coverage here.

NFL

The NFL passes the ball to flag football player Diana Flores, who can’t be stopped in this 2-minute ad. “To the women pushing football forward, we can’t wait to see where you take this game.”

Paramount+ — Droga5

A “Cliffhanger” of sorts where Sylvester Stallone climbs a mountain that’s shaped like his face. Check out our coverage.

Peacock

Poker Face’s star character Charlie Cale, played by Natasha Lyonne, is a walking B.S. detector. In a Super Bowl ad for Peacock, Cale sifts through advertising fibs from Google Pixel, M&Ms and every friendship in a beer ad.

Pepsi — VaynerMedia

Does Pepsi Zero really taste great or are Ben Stiller and Steve Martin just acting? Each star in a big game ad, with extended versions below. Our full story.

Planters — VaynerMedia

Mr. Peanut gets roasted by the OG of roasts: Jeff Ross. Joining him are Natasha Leggero, Frank Castillo, Atsuko Okatsuka, Yamaneika Saunders, David Lucas, and Sarah Tiana. Must be harsh since Mr. Peanut wishes that “Planters would just kill me off again.” Read our story.

PopCorners — D3

Breaking Bad fans rejoice as Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul and Raymond Cruz reunite—in character—for PopCorners’ “Breaking Good.” The ad’s storyline was devised and directed by series creator Vince Gilligan. Check out our coverage.

Pringles — Grey Group

It’s a rite of passage to get your hand stuck inside a can of Pringles. It happens to surgeons, bowlers, game show contestants and Meghan Trainor! 

Rakuten — In-house

Rakuten resurrects Alicia Silverstone’s beloved character from “Clueless,” along with her archrival Amber, played by Elisa Donovan. Look for Christian Siriano, too

Ram Trucks — Highdrive

Ram Trucks’ EV line pokes fun at those big Pharma ads with “Premature Electrification.”

Remy Martin — Fred & Farid

Serena Williams takes a play from Any Given Sunday and delivers Al Pacino’s moving locker room speech in an ad for Remy Martin. 

Scream VI

The survivors of the most recent Ghostface killings leave Woodsboro to start fresh… but there’s a killer on their tracks. 

Skechers — SKX Studios

Snoop Dogg takes a hands-free approach to his shoes with Skechers slip-ins. Watch for cameos from Howie Long, Tony Romo and Martha Stewart.

Squarespace — in-house

Adam Driver journeys down a rabbit hole upon learning that Squarespace is a website that makes websites. In this alternate reality he’ll encounter countless versions of himself. More coverage here.

T-Mobile

Bradley Cooper and his mom try to make an ad. Helping her runs lines, Cooper notes, “I’ve been nominated nine times.” “Yeah, but you never won any,” mom shoots back.

T-Mobile

John Travolta, Zach Braff and Donald Faison sings the praises of T-Mobile home internet service with a techy version of “Summer Nights” from Grease.

Temu — Saatchi & Saatchi

Temu launched its first Super Bowl ad where consumers can “shop like a billionaire” in the shopping app.

Tubi — Mischief

Oversized rabbits throw people down rabbit holes of endless content in a 60-second spot for Tubi.

TurboTax

Leave it to TurboTax to handle your taxes. With your free time, do whatever you want, like dance to Men Without Hats’ “Safety Dance.”

Uber One — Special U.S.

Now “This is How We Do It,” and by it, I mean make a memorable Super Bowl ad chock full of one hit wonder earworms. Montell Jordan, Kelis, Haddaway, Donna Lewis and Ylvis audition for Diddy, who was tasked with creating a jingle for the Uber One membership program. Just don’t call it a jingle. Click here for more.

WeatherTech — Pinnacle Advertising

WeatherTech silences the doubters in its big game ad, building factories and keeping products made in America when they were explicitly told: “You can’t do that.”

Workday — Ogilvy California

Ozzy Osbourne, Paul Stanley, Joan Jett, Billy Idol and Gary Clark Jr. are real rock stars, not Todd from accounting. Watch as they set the record straight in Workday’s big game ad.

Xfinity — Goodby Silverstein & Partners

Is Xfinity’s 10g network the greatest achievement since the moon landing? Starring Chris Bauer from “For All Mankind” and Will Forte as MacGruber.

Pump up the volume on “I’m Alright,” because Michelob Ultra’s star-soaked Caddyshack-inspired Super Bowl commercials have arrived.

Tony Romo does his best Carl Spackler routine in silly spots from Wieden+Kennedy New York and director Rachel Morrison, while Serena Williams returns for her third consecutive Big Game outing on behalf of AB InBev’s Ultra. To lampoon Caddyshack—the 1980 comedy classic set in the golf world—Serena joins a cast of familiar faces including Alex Morgan, Canelo Alvarez and Nneka Ogwumike.

In a :60, Williams hit the links with Succession actor Brian Cox. Romo provides a twist at the end—a bottle-cap twist!—to seal victory for one of the players:

Like Serena was gonna lose? She’s the ultimate GOAT, no matter which sport!

Next, Tony and his hat return for a :30 with PGA star Rickey Fowler, plugging Netflix’s docuseries Full Swing, which Ultra sponsors:

These ads have ranked among the most anticipated of the 2023 Super Bowl season, with teasers like the one below whetting the public’s appetite:

Today, the brand slaked fans’ thirst by unveiling with a pop-culture romp driven by broad humor (and broader strokes!) that underscore Ultra’s “It’s Only Worth It if You Enjoy It” mantra. The approach seems apt, given the brew’s recent trajectory as one of AB InBev’s fastest-growing products. Leaning into nostalgic tropes with a diverse cast should drive buzz and help maintain or even accelerate that momentum.

“Golf is going through an exciting transformation to become more inclusive and more joyful, which perfectly aligns with Michelob Ultra’s point of view and as such ended up serving as inspiration for our campaign this year,” says Ricardo Marques, the Ultra’s VP of marketing. “Beyond entertaining, we’re looking to engage our audience with an approach that combines creativity, commercial integration and new partnerships.”

In addition to its Netflix collab, those partnerships include a shoppable Instacart experience, takeovers of greens in Phoenix (near the site of the Big Game), plus an apparel collection with Devereux Golf.

Click to enlarge these examples:

Despite its decision to relinquish in-game alcohol exclusivity, AB InBev will still rock a considerable presence during the Feb. 12 telecast on Fox. Earlier this week, Muse trekked into the woods for Busch Light’s funny foray with a self-deprecating Sarah McLachlan. The Martin Agency developed that commercial.

Plus, FCB New York’s “Six Degrees of Budweiser” spot, voiced by Kevin Bacon, will run in local markets:

I happened to be at Serena Williams’ U.S. Open match in 2016 when Beyoncé was in the crowd cheering her on. The atmosphere was electric—one iconic Black woman who’d put such a mark on American culture, showing up to support another.

With Serena’s impending retirement, Beyoncé has now stepped up to support her again, narrating a new 60-second Gatorade ad that broke late Sunday just ahead of Williams’ swan song at the U.S. Open.

The spot is titled “Love Means Everything,” and it salutes Serena for her trailblazing career and how, from the beginning, she beautifully and forcefully embodied the power of loving oneself, and one’s true identity, in the face of adversity.

The ad was created by TBWAChiatDay and directed by Jake Nava, who’s worked with Beyoncé for two decades, going all the way back to her “Crazy in Love” video in 2003.

Here’s the full VO copy: 

Serena and Gatorade have worked together for year. This latest effort also includes a new limited-edition Serena Gatorade bottle, which she’s also done before.

We’ve watched superstar athletes hoist trophies umpteen times. But this familiar gesture takes on fresh, deeper meaning in artful ads designed to evolve Michelob Ultra’s “It’s Only Worth It if You Enjoy It” positioning.

Careful cropping places the smiling reflections of Serena Williams, Brooks Koepka, Alex Morgan, Nneka Ogwumike and Anthony Davis on the shiny surfaces of championship hardware—but the endorsers don’t otherwise appear. This novel approach from creative agency GUT lends the work, headlined “Joy Is the Ultimate Trophy,” a distinctive, stylized vibe.

“The happiness on these athletes’ faces is something that is impossible to ignore,” says Ricardo Marques, VP of marketing at Michelob Ultra, an AB InBev brand. “But when you see it in the reflection of the trophy that they pushed so hard to be able to hold and hear the story of the joy they felt along the way, it becomes much more meaningful.”

The subjects share backstories for each photo across their social feeds. For example, Serena’s shot came from 2020, at the GOAT’s first big win after her daughter’s birth:

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams)

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Brooks Koepka (@bkoepka)

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Nneka Ogwumike (@nnekaogwumike)

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Anthony Davis (@antdavis23)

“The world has led us to believe that trophies are the ultimate sign of athletic success,” GUT associate creative director Jeff Schermer tells Muse. “But what we realized by looking at these photographs is that the real trophy is the joy one gets from doing what they love, and all the moments and emotions that get one there.”

“The target for this campaign is every person who plays sports, no matter what level they are in, from pros to amateurs,” adds Jose Ramirez, also an agency ACD. “As we all know, the pressure to perform and win is a constant burden. The boost for Michelob Ultra comes from the continuous support of athletes, including promoting the right conversations.”

Michelob hit such themes in its Super Bowl spots from 2021 and ’22. Recent work from Powerade and Nike covered similar territory, focusing on the transcendence of sports, personal satisfaction and spiritual well-being.

CREDITS

ABI Client
Ricardo Marques – Vice President of Marketing, Michelob ULTRA & Global
Talita Andrade – Senior Marketing Director, Michelob ULTRA
Miles Ritenour – Director of Digital Marketing, Michelob ULTRA
Andrew Gelbard – Head of Regional Media
Bridget Inglima – Media Manager, Michelob ULTRA
Lindsay Marzocca – Media Lead, Michelob ULTRA Family
Alexis Unwalla – Director of Digital Marketing, Michelob ULTRA
Jessica Thorpe – PR Lead
Dylan Ruby – Director of Sports Marketing and Partnerships, Michelob ULTRA

GUT
Anselmo Ramos – Creative Chairman/Co-Founder
Carmen Rodriguez – GUT Miami Managing Director/ Global Chief Client Officer/ Partner
Juan Javier Peña Plaza – North America Executive Creative Director/ Global Partner
Ricardo Casal – North America Executive Creative Director/ Global Partner
Fernando Ribeiro – Global Chief Strategy Officer/ Partner
Renata Neumann – Head of Production
Kristin Childers – Head of Production
Joselyn Bickford – Head of Accounts
Guido Fusetti – Head of Art
Jeff Schermer – Associate Creative Director
Jose Ramirez – Associate Creative Director
Aurélie Diaz – Art Director
Jared Blinderman – Junior Copywriter
Buchun Jiang – Creative Consultant
Akoma M’ba – Account Director
Manuela Castro – Management Supervisor
Laila Houser – Account Executive
Bruno Steffen – Strategy Director
Junia Parodi – Creative Manager
Christina Moses Cornejo – Creative Manager
Kristy Garcia – Senior Social Project Manager
Vanessa Rodriguez – Project Manager
Ale Marie Odriozola – Senior Producer
Emma Giorelli– Production Intern
Alexandra Velasco – Director of Communications

Platinum FMD
Leonardo Vilela
Flavio Albino
Leonardo Escobar
Diego Oliveira

6 Degrees
Karen Snow, Research Specialist
Christine Ginsberg, Project Manager
George Bartko, Co-Founder

ELO’s bluesy, 1973 slow-burner “Showdown” drives the action in suitably beery style.

Filming took place at a bowling alley outside Atlanta. That setting represents “a level playing field” for male and female athletes, says Richard Marques, Ultra’s VP of marketing.

Such notions also inform the brand’s pledge to dedicate half of its lifestyle media dollars to content covering women players and events, for a total of $100 million over the next five years. Marques views the Super Bowl push as a thematic extension of that initiative, with both sexes enjoying camaraderie and some “friendly competition” in a sport where none holds the advantage. (Though we all know Serena would win.)

A minute-long edit of the spot above will run nationally in-game, along with this :30, which features Koepka and a caddy mulling Ultra Organic Seltzer selections:

A third ad, airing in Florida and Texas, sees platinum-selling Latin singer Becky G. order Ultra Pure Gold Organic Lager:

“Enjoying the ride along the way is not a distraction but in fact an essential part of life,” Marques says. “That’s why with our ‘Superior Bowl’ campaign, we are once again highlighting the fun and joyful side of some of the world’s greatest athletes and entertainers, while also delivering on our commitment to gender equality in sports.”

Williams, Manning, Koepka and Morgan also starred in Ultra’s SB outing last year, which exuded a documentary vibe and asked, “Are you happy because you win, or do you win because you’re happy?”

CREDITS

CLIENT NAME: MICHELOB ULTRA
CLIENT: Michelob ULTRA
PROJECT NAME: Michelob ULTRA Super Bowl LVI
FORMAT: TVC, Digital, Social
CLIENT CONTACTS: Talita Andrade
Kerry Scalora
Samantha Durrant
Aamir Raj
MICHELOB ULTRA, A-B INBEV
US CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Benoit Garbe
VP OF MARKETING – MICHELOB ULTRA Ricardo Marques
SENIOR DIRECTOR – MICHELOB ULTRA Talita Andrade
DIRECTOR – MICHELOB ULTRA Kerry Scalora
DIRECTOR – MICHELOB ULTRA ORGANIC SELTZER Samantha Durrant
BRAND MANAGER – MICHELOB ULTRA PURE GOLD Aamir Raj
Head of Music & Entertainment, Anheuser-Busch Shana Barry
PR: 3PM, Weber Shandwick
MEDIA: Dentsu Aegis Network, Vizeum
ENTERTAINMENT: Synergy Productions
LAUNCH DATE: February 8, 2022
AGENCIES: W+K NEW YORK
GLOBAL CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER: Karl Lieberman
GLOBAL CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER: Neal Arthur
DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PLANNING: Marcus Collins
GROUP CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Blair Warren
GROUP CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Matt Mulvey
ART DIRECTOR: Jacobi Mehringer
COPYWRITER: Tommy Woods
HEAD OF INTEGRATED PRODUCTION: Nick Setounski
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Dave Lambert
SENIOR PRODUCER: Marisa Bursteen
GROUP ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Brooke Stites
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Lauren Smith
ACCOUNT SUPERVISOR: Meredith Zambito
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Connor Layden
STRATEGY DIRECTOR: Ellery Luse
COMMS DIRECTOR: Zack Green
ASSOCIATE COMMS DIRECTOR: Erinn Morrison
PROJECT MANAGER: Nicole Lopez
EXECUTIVE BUSINESS AFFAIRS MANAGER: Karen Murillo
BUSINESS AFFAIRS MANAGER: Maria Elia
BUSINESS AFFAIRS MANAGER: Paul FitzGerald
BROADCAST TRAFFIC DIRECTOR: Sonia Bisono
TRAFFIC MANAGER: Laura Guerra
PRODUCTION COMPANY ICONOCLAST
DIRECTOR/DP Rachel Morrison
HEAD OF PRODUCTION Charlies Marie Anthonioz
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Caroline Pham
LINE PRODUCER Jennifer Barrons
PHOTOGRAPHER Tina Rowden
BTS Kate Dean
EDITORIAL COMPANY: ARTS ACADEMY
EDITOR: Tommy Harden
Asst EDITOR: Lee Bacak Jr.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Sara Greene
PRODUCER/HOP: Chelsea Spensley
TELECINE COMPANY: COMPANY3
COLORIST: Tom Poole
PRODUCER: Alexandra Lubrano
VFX/FINISHING: THE MILL
SENIOR EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Clairellen Wallin
PRODUCER Ija Ocha
COORDINATOR Tara Goodman
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jimmy Bullard
Co-HEAD of 2D/2D LEAD Anne Trotman
2D ARTISTS Sam Caine, Burtis Scott, Tara Holland, Margolit
Steiner, Blake Druery
MIX COMPANY: HEARD CITY
MIXER: Phil Loeb
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Sasha Awn
SOUND DESIGNER: Brian Emrich
MUSIC TRACK (SUPERIOR BOWL :60)
MUSIC ARTIST: Electric Light Orchestra
TRACK: Showdown
PUBLISHING: SonyATV
LABEL: Sony Music & Universal Music
MUSIC TRACK (GOLDEN :30)
MUSIC ARTIST: Click Bait
TRACK: Spanish Fly
PUBLISHING: Extreme Music
MUSIC TRACK (CADDY :30)
MUSIC ARTIST: Jimmy Ruffin
TRACK: Baby I Got It
PUBLISHING: SonyATV
LABEL: Sony Music & Universal Music
MUSIC SUPERVISION: Sunny Kapoor/ Curation Music

“Whoa!” to those who oppose Serena Williams in “The One,” DirectTV’s new spot that spoofs tropes from the Matrix franchise.

Red and blue tennis balls, Neo-shades, chill hand gestures and other references to the reality-bending sci-fi films abound as Serena aces out a replicating rival.

It’s fab-tastical fare from TBWAChiatDay Los Angeles and Stink directing collective Traktor, following the team’s earlier efforts with La Williams based on Wonder Woman ’84 and scary movies.

Tagged “Get Your TV Together,” the campaign memorably touts DirecTV’s mix of sports and entertainment. “The One” breaks ahead of The Matrix Resurrections, which hits theaters and HBO Max on Dec. 22.

“The Matrix is truly an iconic franchise, and so many moments from the films have become part of our lexicon,” agency associate creative director Mark Winters tells Muse. “It’s also a story about digital worlds colliding and merging—which is a great backdrop to show how DirecTV Stream is bringing together live TV and On Demand content.”

“The new release is a great cultural signal boost—but really, once we imagined Serena diving towards a bullet-time tennis ball, we knew we had to see it,” Winters says. “We borrowed specific effects from The Matrix to get the right look. Digging back into that aesthetic was a blast, from the bits of code raining down to the way we achieved the lighting in post for our dystopian tennis court.”

Fun factoid: “Keanu Reeves was going to join us for a cameo, but his John Wick 4 schedule made lockdown travel impossible. So, we got a squirrel instead,” reveals Ryan Buckley, also an agency ACD. (The rodent makes a suitably “glitchy” appearance at the ad’s conclusion, in classic Matrix style.)

CREDITS

DIRECTV Marketing

Vince Torres – Chief Marketing Officer
Kendall Thaker – VP, Advertising and Go-To-Market
Mandy Martin – AVP, Marketing Management
Sheri Holmes – Director, Product Marketing Management
Nick Bianchi – Director, Social Media
Jenn Wang – Lead Product Marketing Manager
Jessica Elizardo – Lead Product Marketing Manager
Tracy Threlkeld – Lead Product Marketing Manager

TBWAChiatDay Los Angeles

Erin Riley – President

Renato Fernandez – Chief Creative Officer
Ariel Abramovici – Creative Director
Bruno Acanfora – Creative Director
Mark Winters – Associate Creative Director
Ryan Buckley – Associate Creative Director
Will Holmes – Art Director
Tyler Archibald – Copywriter
Andrew Bae – Jr. Art Director
Yashashree Samant – Jr. Copywriter
Bruno Regalo – Head of Design
Jake Skirving – Senior Designer
Andrea Nazarino – Jr. Designer

Guia Iacomin – Director of Content Production
Jack Cutler – Senior Producer
Brandon Loftin – Associate Producer
Hashi Clark – Executive Art Producer
Dessiah Davis – Director of Traffic Operations
Robin Rossi – Director of Business Affairs

Jen Costello – Chief Strategy Officer
Jesse Unger – Group Strategy Director
Jonathan Handy – Associate Strategy Director
Krystal Hawkins – Sr. Strategist
Hannah Schweitzer – Jr. Strategist
Albert Kim – Head of Connections Planning
Kevin Bautista – Associate Director of Connections
Laura Mayer – Data Director

Matt Theisen – Brand Lead
Lani Reichenbach – Brand Lead
Caitlin Miller – Account Director
Oyinda Elias – Management Supervisor
Carlos Quintanilla – Account Supervisor
Sarah Newton – Account Supervisor
Bridget Derraugh – Account Executive
Lawrence Gonzales – Project Manager

Critical Mass

Val Carlson – Chief Creative Officer
Andrew Lavery – Group Creative Director
James Maclean – Creative Director
Javier Olivares – Assoc. Creative Director
Megahn O’Neil – Assoc. Creative Director
Ryan Mesnchuk – Senior Art Director
Megan King – Senior Art Director
Taylor Lumley – Art Director
Ana Benitez Duarte – Designer
Peter Lagosky – Senior Copywriter
Melissa De Sa – Senior Copywriter
Daisy Swain – Copywriter

Jen Goldberg – Group Strategy Director
Kyle Bottoms – Strategy Director

Maria Hodgeson – SVP Client Partner
Lauren Rappaport – VP Client partner
Andrew Burke – Account Director
Haley Dodd – Sr. Account Manager
Olivia Knight – Account Manager

Sydney Woodman – Executive Producer
Audrie Sham – Sr. Producer
Ashleigh Fehmie – Sr. producer
Christine Spitler – Producer
Vicky Patel – Sr. Producer
Lexi Scott – Producer
Sylvia Brach – Producer
Ethan Cole – Producer

Production Partners

Stink – Production House
Daniel Bergmann – President
Mungo Maclagan – Executive Producer
Traktor – Director
Pär M. Ekberg – DOP
Leah Allina – Line Producer

Arcade – Editorial
Alexa Atkin – Executive Producer
Jeff Feruzzo – Lead Editor
Brad Wasekwich – Lead Editor
Ryan Andrus – Assistant Editor

JAMM – VFX
Asher Edwards – Executive Producer
Ashley Greyson – Senior Producer
Alexandra Rickards – Production Coordinator
Anna Dood – Color Producer
Adam Scott – Colorist
Andy Boyd – VFX Supervisor
Jake Montgomery – VFX Artist

Lime – Mix
Susie Boyajan – Executive Producer
Matt Miller – Head Mixer
Ian Connie – Assistant Mixer

String & Tins – Sound Design
Laura-Leigh – Producer
Culum Simpson – Sound Designer

Search Party – Music
Meghan Currier – Music Producer
Chris James – Composer
Dylan Nowik – Composer

South – Music
Ann Haugen – Head of Production
Ignacio Das – Producer
Vladimir Berkhemer – Writer
Britt Darling – Writer
Dan Pritking – Writer
Jon Darling – Writer

Diego Speroni – Retouching
Diego Speroni – Digital Artist
Francisco Speroni – Digital Assistant
Freddy Fabris – Digital Producer

Serena Williams slams another backhand winner—THWAP!—and the crowd erupts in delight: CLAP! CLAP! YAY! Suddenly, strange RUMBLES! and CRAAACKS! interrupt play, as imposing bots invade the stadium and shoot fiery bolts into the stands: PTHEW! PTHEW!

That all-caps scenario opens “Serving Up Justice: Featuring Serena Williams & Wonder Woman,” an illustrated adventure from agency Critical Mass that anchors digital outreach promoting DirecTV’s new streaming service.

Devised with DC Comics, the four-part story follows Williams’ turn as Wonder Woman in a commercial timed to the U.S. Open. That spot was purely a romp, the first in a series of movie-themed ads starring tennis G.O.A.T. Serena.

In the socially conscious comic, however Williams finds herself “on the other side of the multiverse,” per campaign materials, “as families are being torn apart by RetroBots who arrest people based on the potential for future crime.”

See the first 10-page comic below.

Critical Mass group strategy head Jen Goldberg explains: “Wonder Woman has always been a cultural icon for equality. As we crafted the comic, it was particularly important to make sure the story aligned with both DirecTV and Serena’s values—and reflect the real-life superhero that she is. It mirrors Serena Williams story so well: She’s worked so hard to rise to the top while standing up for representation in sports.”

“Serena and Wonder Woman are icons to women everywhere,” Goldberg adds, “and it felt like an unmissable opportunity to celebrate women trailblazers in every way we could. And it’s not just in the story; the DC team behind the art is an incredibly talented group of women.”

Bestselling author Amanda Diebert and her wife, illustrator Cat Skaggs, led creative development.

The campaign also includes a custom Wondrous Serena emoji triggered by the hashtags #GetYourTVTogether and #DirecTVStream. A Snapchat AR portal launches as a platform takeover on Oct. 6, timed to the comic’s third installment.

CREDITS

DIRECTV STREAM + DC COMICS
SERVING UP JUSTICE: FEATURING SERENA WILLIAMS AND WONDER WOMAN
Campaign Credits

Launch Date: September 21, 2021

DIRECTV Marketing
Vince Torres – Chief Marketing Officer
Kendall Thaker – VP, Advertising and Go-To-Market
Mandy Martin – AVP, Marketing Management
Sheri Holmes – Director, Product Marketing Management
Nick Bianchi – Director, Social Media
Jenn Wang – Lead Product Marketing Manager
Jessica Elizardo – Lead Product Marketing Manager
Tracy Threlkeld – Lead Product Marketing Manager

Critical Mass
Val Carlson – Chief Creative Officer
Andrew Lavery – Group Creative Director
James Maclean – Creative Director
Meghan O’Neil – Assoc. Creative Director
Javier Olivares – Assoc. Creative Director
Megan King – Senior Art Director
Ryan Mesnchuk – Senior Art Director
Taylor Lumley – Art Director
Ana Benitez Duarte – Designer
Melissa De Sa – Senior Copywriter 
Peter Lagosky – Senior Copywriter
Daisy Swain – Copywriter

Jen Goldberg – Group Strategy Director
Kyle Bottoms – Strategy Director

Maria Hodgeson – SVP Client Partner
Lauren Rappaport – VP Client partner
Andrew Burke – Account Director
Haley Dodd – Sr. Account Manager

Sydney Woodman – Executive Producer
Ashleigh Fehmie – Sr. producer
Vicky Patel – Sr. Producer

TBWAChiatDay LA – “Get Your TV Together” Partner Creative Agency

DC Comics – Original Artwork

Serena Williams morphs into Wonder Woman 1984, then time-trips back to a Reagan-era shopping mall for a wild romp with robots that shoot tennis balls like missiles?

You cannot be serious, DirecTV!

Actually, they are, judging from this clip, which boasts all of the above, plus a catchphrase cameo from John McEnroe amid campy callbacks to the days of Dallas and Dynasty:

Who needs a golden lasso when you’ve got that gilded racket? Crank up those keytars, let’s moonwalk all the way home!

The campaign from TBWAChiatDay L.A. introduces the rebranded DirecTV Stream, formerly AT&T TV. Ads hype the dual nature of the service, which offers on-demand Hollywood fare plus sports and other live events. G.O.A.T Serena will appear in more movie-themed ads moving forward.

“Wonder Woman 1984 is a great vehicle that calls to mind everything we love about a big-budget, popcorn-munching, tentpole film people expect to see offered more and more by their TV provider,” agency associate creative director Ryan Buckley tells Muse. “It doesn’t hurt that we’ve wondered once or twice if Serena isn’t a real-life superhero herself.”

Stink directing collective Traktor shot scenes with Williams in France (to fit her globe-hopping schedule), while filming Hall of Famer (and voice-over ace) Johnny Mac in L.A. The ball-bots appear via VFX.

“We needed so many tennis balls to shoot around the mall that we completely bought out the entire inventory of the city of Nice during production,” recalls Buckley. “Many places weren’t open due to lockdown—so we were having folks fly in more tennis balls and drive two cities over to find more.”

From a business standpoint, DirecTV seeks to portray its streaming service as a means of simplifying the fragmented viewing experience. Of course, the company is battling upstream in a crowded market, but Serena brings potent superstar power to bear. (Mac’s presence gives the work a neat cross-generational feel, too. We’re serious!)

Digital, radio and OOH elements are also on tap, along with an interactive game and a comic book (Wonder Woman would approve).

CREDITS

DIRECTV Marketing

Vince Torres – Chief Marketing Officer
Kendall Thaker – VP, Advertising and Go-To-Market
Mandy Martin – AVP, Marketing Management
Sheri Holmes – Director, Product Marketing Management
Nick Bianchi – Director, Social Media
Jenn Wang – Lead Product Marketing Manager
Jessica Elizardo – Lead Product Marketing Manager
Tracy Threlkeld – Lead Product Marketing Manager

TBWAChiatDay Los Angeles

Erin Riley – President

Renato Fernandez – Chief Creative Officer
Ariel Abramovici – Creative Director
Bruno Acanfora – Creative Director
Mark Winters – Associate Creative Director
Ryan Buckley – Associate Creative Director
Will Holmes – Art Director
Tyler Archibald – Copywriter
Andrew Bae – Jr. Art Director
Yashashree Samant – Jr. Copywriter
Bruno Regalo – Head of Design
Jake Skirving – Senior Designer
Andrea Nazarino – Jr. Designer

Guia Iacomin – Director of Content Production
Jack Cutler – Senior Producer
Brandon Loftin – Associate Producer
Hashi Clark – Executive Art Producer
Dessiah Davis – Director of Traffic Operations
Robin Rossi – Director of Business Affairs

Jen Costello – Chief Strategy Officer
Jesse Unger – Group Strategy Director
Jonathan Handy – Associate Strategy Director
Krystal Hawkins – Sr. Strategist
Hannah Schweitzer – Jr. Strategist
Albert Kim – Head of Connections Planning
Kevin Bautista – Associate Director of Connections
Laura Mayer – Data Director

Matt Theisen – Brand Lead
Lani Reichenbach – Brand Lead
Caitlin Miller – Account Director
Oyinda Elias – Management Supervisor
Carlos Quintanilla – Account Supervisor
Sarah Newton – Account Supervisor
Bridget Derraugh – Account Executive
Lawrence Gonzales – Project Manager

Critical Mass

Val Carlson – Chief Creative Officer
Andrew Lavery – Group Creative Director
James Maclean – Creative Director
Javier Olivares – Assoc. Creative Director
Megahn O’Neil – Assoc. Creative Director
Ryan Mesnchuk – Senior Art Director
Megan King – Senior Art Director
Taylor Lumley – Art Director
Ana Benitez Duarte – Designer
Peter Lagosky – Senior Copywriter
Melissa De Sa – Senior Copywriter
Daisy Swain – Copywriter

Jen Goldberg – Group Strategy Director
Kyle Bottoms – Strategy Director

Maria Hodgeson – SVP Client Partner
Lauren Rappaport – VP Client partner
Andrew Burke – Account Director
Haley Dodd – Sr. Account Manager
Olivia Knight – Account Manager

Sydney Woodman – Executive Producer
Audrie Sham – Sr. Producer
Ashleigh Fehmie – Sr. producer
Christine Spitler – Producer
Vicky Patel – Sr. Producer
Lexi Scott – Producer
Sylvia Brach – Producer
Ethan Cole – Producer

Production Partners

Stink – Production House
Daniel Bergmann – President
Mungo Maclagan – Executive Producer
Traktor – Director
Pär M. Ekberg – DOP
Leah Allina – Line Producer

Arcade – Editorial
Alexa Atkin – Executive Producer
Jeff Feruzzo – Lead Editor
Brad Wasekwich – Lead Editor
Ryan Andrus – Assistant Editor

JAMM – VFX
Asher Edwards – Executive Producer
Ashley Greyson – Senior Producer
Alexandra Rickards – Production Coordinator
Anna Dood – Color Producer
Adam Scott – Colorist
Andy Boyd – VFX Supervisor
Jake Montgomery – VFX Artist

Lime – Mix
Susie Boyajan – Executive Producer
Matt Miller – Head Mixer
Ian Connie – Assistant Mixer

String & Tins – Sound Design
Laura-Leigh – Producer
Culum Simpson – Sound Designer

Search Party – Music
Meghan Currier – Music Producer
Chris James – Composer
Dylan Nowik – Composer

South – Music
Ann Haugen – Head of Production
Ignacio Das – Producer
Vladimir Berkhemer – Writer
Britt Darling – Writer
Dan Pritking – Writer
Jon Darling – Writer

Diego Speroni – Retouching
Diego Speroni – Digital Artist
Francisco Speroni – Digital Assistant
Freddy Fabris – Digital Producer

That’s Charles Barkley doing the VO. He has more of a chance to shine in a slew of :15s and :06s, which you can see in the longer YouTube playlist.

“We needed an idea that was big enough to tell the next chapter of Subway’s story. Not just now, but into the foreseeable future as the brand continues to push to be better and better every day,” says Matt Ian, chief creative officer of dentsu mcgarrybowen.

“The Subway ‘Eat Fresh Refresh’ campaign brings to life how much new we have on our menu and is a significant moment in the brand’s transformation journey. As such, one single creative execution or spokesperson wouldn’t have been enough,” says Carrie Walsh, chief marketing officer at Subway. “We developed a creative idea with a supporting cast of the biggest names in sports to share all of the great changes happening at Subway in a story that continues across multiple spots and formats.”