- Sports betting company FanDuel announced today (Jan. 9) that it has again teamed with NFL icon Rob Gronkowski for a campaign that can serve because the sequel to the duo’s “Kick of Destiny” business from last yr’s Super Bowl, per details shared with Marketing Dive.
- Timed to the playoffs, “Kick of Destiny 2” will include three video spots showcasing Gronkowski’s journey to redemption after failing to successfully complete a field goal during a live business at Super Bowl LVII. The spots, inclusive of cameos from skilled wrestler John Cena and actor Carl Weathers, will culminate at this yr’s game with a live pre-game kick and in-game, outcome-specific business.
- FanDuel is moreover offering consumers the prospect to make a free pick on whether or not they think Gronkowski will make the kick through the FanDuel Sportsbook app, with those that guess appropriately in a position to win an equal share of $10 million in bonus bets.
FanDuel made its Super Bowl debut last yr by turning a bet right into a business. The “Kick of Destiny” spot featured five-time NFL Pro Bowler Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski attempting to finish a 25-yard field goal during a live third-quarter business break. If successful, consumers who placed a bet on the Super Bowl through FanDuel Sportsbook could win a share of a $10 million prize. Ultimately, the kick was a fail, a claim debated on social media, though FanDuel assured viewers the offer would still stand. The effort managed to drum up “tremendous engagement,” FanDuel Executive Vice President of Marketing Andrew Sneyd said in release details.
Now, FanDuel and Gronk are back in pursuit of redemption with a campaign that kicks off in time for the NFL playoffs, potentially helping to grow hype and lock-in viewers come time for the massive game, which shall be played in Las Vegas on Feb. 11. Handled again by Wieden + Kennedy, the campaign’s first spot, “Desert,” goes live today (Jan. 9) and sees Gronkowski wandering through the desert, recounting his failure before being met by Weathers, who lifts his spirits and ushers him away in the sidecar of his motorcycle.
The “Desert” kickoff spot shall be featured across national NFL inventory with partners including CBS and Fox, regional sports networks, national cable partners, social media and throughout the first exclusive, live-streamed NFL playoff game, which is being hosted on Peacock, a spokesperson confirmed to Marketing Dive.
To come are 4 additional appearances from Gronkowski. In the second spot, “Again?,” the retired athlete convinces FanDuel to provide him another probability as a substitute of offering it to another person — that person being John Cena. A 3rd spot serves as a movie trailer to construct hype for the forthcoming kick. Finally, Gronkowski will attempt the kick survive game day before the national anthem, and a final spot that can air in the second quarter of the massive game will have a good time the final result and include footage from the kick.
The host of FanDuel TV’s “Up & Adams,” Kay Adams, will serve because the commentator during Gronkowski’s kick, which shall be held in front of a live audience.
To get viewers involved, FanDuel is again bringing back the betting element, this time adding a recent interactive aspect that permits consumers to make a free pick on whether or not they think Gronkowski will “Make or Miss” the kick through the FanDuel Sportsbook app. Those who pick appropriately will win an equal share of $10 million in bonus bets, per the discharge. Consumers are encouraged to follow Gronkowski’s journey on social media, including by following the hashtag #KickofDestiny on X (formerly referred to as Twitter).
FanDuel’s sprawling marketing effort ahead of the massive game is a signal of how sports betting has change into more mainstream in recent years. Another sign of the times, this yr’s Super Bowl is for the primary time being held in Las Vegas, a milestone that comes 20 years after town was banned from running Super Bowl campaigns. Also set to advertise in the course of the Super Bowl this yr is BetMGM, which can make its big game debut with an ad made with creative agency Highdive.
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