Ad of the Day: Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen tease NFL rivalries in cryptocurrency ad
NFL quarterback Tom Brady and supermodel Gisele Bundchen have starred in a $20m campaign to endorse cryptocurrency exchange platform FTX and have one question for everyone: you in? The humorous ad, by newly-appointed agency DentsuMB, is being rolled out today during the highly-anticipated opening game of the football season between opponents Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Dallas Cowboys.
The newly-released spot is the first in what will be a series of long-form videos tapping into sports culture, with the aim of bringing cryptocurrency to the masses. To score with American audiences, DentsuMB played on some of the most intense rivalries in the NFL, from a cameo by famous New York Jets superfan FiremanEd to the love/hate relationship New England fans have with the seven-time Super Bowl champion.
In the video we see Brady and Bundchen calling friends and rivals to join FTX. Not one to shy away from poking fun at himself, Brady then proceeds to call someone named ‘Bill’ – a reference to Bill Belichick (head coach of the New England Patriots). ‘Bill’ turns out to be an unknown person in Boston who has Brady labeled as a ‘traitor’ on his phone, presumably for leaving the Patriots last year.
Founded in April 2019 by 29-year-old crypto billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried, FTX has been making moves recently to establish itself as a major player in the US market.
It kicked off its brand awareness campaign earlier this year drafting in Brady as an ambassador and Bundchen as environmental and social initiatives adviser. The power couple received an unspecified amount of cryptocurrency in the lucrative deal. More recently the crypto traders teamed up with NBA superstar Stephen Curry as he takes on the position of global ambassador and shareholder.
“The rules of finance are being upended and FTX is leading the charge, which makes this an incredible space to play within,” noted Menno Kluin, chief creative officer of Dentsu creative in the US. “The fact that FTX is establishing partnerships with icons in all fields, particularly Tom and Gisele, indicates the impact and acceleration of crypto and signals that we’re entering an exciting new phase.”
This summer, FTX became the first cryptocurrency exchange to sponsor a professional sports league via a five-year deal with Major League Baseball, made a $135m deal to make the Miami Heat’s home court the FTX Arena, and snapped up field naming rights to FTX Field at California Memorial Stadium for $17.5m over the next ten years.
(8 months ago)
Sam: we should do this 'marketing' thing people keep talking about
US: alright I guess we could try that
— FTX - Built By Traders, For Traders (@FTX_Official) June 23, 2021
Celeb-fronted crypto campaigns from the likes of Spike Lee, Fetty Wap and Kim Kardashian bring ‘new money’ into the mainstream, but people have questioned if it’s time for clearer regulation of ads in the category.
