Capital One Again Banks On March With Charles, Spike, Samuel L. And Friends
Sunday, March 13, 2022 at 03:54PM By Barry Janoff
March 13, 2022: Capital One, an official corporate partner of the NCAA, is back in full multi-media and multi-platform force to support the Men’s Div. I and Women’s Div. I Tournaments.
The campaign with Charles Barkley, Samuel L. Jackson and Spike Lee (who also directs), started in 2015, but missed 2020 when the Tournaments were cancelled due to COVID-19.
The effort recently added NBA Hall of Famers Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
This year, newcomers include Sue Bird, WNBA All-Star and two-time NCAA champion (UConn, 2000, 2002) and Capital One spokesperson Jennifer Garner.
In addition to running across March Madness broadcast — CBS, TNT, TNS, truTV for the Men’s Tournament; ESPN, ESPN2, ABC for the Women’s Tournament — Capital One will again have major presence on the ground in the respective Final Four host cities: New Orleans and Minneapolis.
The Men’s Final Four Fan Fest presented by Capital One is scheduled for Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans April 1-4.
As part of the Mens’s March Madness Music Festival (Woldenberg Park, April 1-3), the Capital One JamFest (April 2) is scheduled to star Imagine Dragons, Macklemore, Grouplove and Trombone Shorty.
At the Women’s Tournament, Tourney Town Fan Festival presented by Capital One is scheduled for the Minneapolis Convention Center (April 1-3).
The Capital On
e Bracket Challenge is the official bracket game of men’s March Madness.
The Women’s Tournament Challenge presented by Capital One is being offered in alliance with ESPN.
In addition to TV, spots will air on digital and social media.
Lead agency is GSD&M.
• Double Bird
Charles Barkley, Samuel L. Jackson and Magic Johnson are taking selfies in front-row tickets acquired via Barkley's Capital One card. Jackson notices on his phone that “Bird is almost here.”
Magic replies, “Oh, man, Bird’s been sore at me since losing in 1979" (meaning Larry Bird when Magic’s Michigan State defeated Bird’s Indiana State). Turns out it’s Sue Bird, who says, “I wasn’t even born yet. Is there some other Bird?”
Yes, “This Bird,” says Larry Bird. Offers Jackson to Magic, “You’re about to get the double-bird.”
• Fortune Teller
Jackson tells Barkley and Spike he used his Capital One card to “book a Final Four-tune teller.” “Is it sorcery?” asks Barkley. No, it’s Magic, as in Johnson, who appears in a puff of smoke and uses his powers to make the three amigos switch bodies.
• Mascot
Samuel L. and Spike are impatiently waiting for Charles to join them to catch the tip-off for March Madness.
But Charles doesn't just want to watch March Madness, he wants to be in it and win it. He arrives leading a full marching band and cheer squad from his own university, Chuck U., which he can fund via his no-fees and no-minimums Capital One checking account.
He even has a mascot — The Fighting Samuel, of which the real Samuel L. gives his approval.
• Chuck Kuts
Basketball-player-turned-barber Charles Barkley welcomes customers to Chuck Kuts, a barbershop that offers bonus miles on every haircut to those with a Capital One Venture Card.
Customer Samuel L. notices that everyone in the barbershop is bald, which Charles says is "the signature March Madness hairstyle."
Jennifer Garner enters and sits in a styling chair, just looking for a trim, but ends up with much worse, a situation that apparently happened to all the other customers, including game announcer Jim Nantz.
Capt'n Chuck gets a river steam boat, the "Champion Ship," to take the guys to the Men's Final Four in New Orleans and the Women's Final Four in Minneapolis on the Mississippi River, which connects both cities. The spot breaks into "Rollin' on the River" by Tina Turner.
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