Subway tries to move on from Fogle scandal with NFL star, Marcus Mariota, in new ad campaign
Subway has begun its transitional phase of escaping the Jared Fogle scandal with a series of new ads featuring one of the hottest new names in the NFL, Marcus Mariota.
Mariota, who has been drafted by the Tennessee Titans and has been widely tipped to be rookie of the season, was the number 2 overall NFL draft pick and is set to be one of the biggest names in the sport this coming season.
The media pull of Mariota is exactly what the Subway brand needs following Jared Fogel’s arrest and charges in relation to a FBI child pornography investigation.
The sandwich chain released four 15-second ads with Mariota which feature the Heisman Trophy winning athlete eating a Subway sandwich before being interrupted by an abrasive talking trophy which closely resembles the one he was awarded this year for being the most outstanding player in college football.
Each of the 15-second ads employs humour as the talking trophy displays an inferiority complex towards Marcus and challenges the athlete’s physical capabilities through weight lifting and expertise in throwing a football.
Mariota’s ad spots will serve as a welcome breath of fresh air for the brand which has had to deal with the negative publicity following Fogel’s arrest as well as a dip in sales attributed to rivals such as Chipotle.
The Tennessee quarterback’s advertising pull has also been harnessed by Nissan who sponsor the Titians and have the star appear in a number of their ads too.
One of the five ads can be viewed above.