EA Sports Puts A Rap On Madden NFL '19 Marketing With Nicki, Lil Dicky, Quevo
By Barry Janoff
August 3, 2018: EA Sports’ Madden NFL 19 is en route (Aug. 10), but multi-media marketing is already here.
An extended three and a half minute video, “Make Your Play” — which will be used in 15-, 30- and 60-second formats — tells the story of gamer named Will and "The Greatest Play Call Ever."
If nothing else, it boasts a roster of sports and entertainment celebs, some in extended roles, some in cameos, including Nicki Minaj, Lil Dicky, comic Chris Redd, DeAndre Hopkins (Houston Texans), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) and even SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Starfish.
Lil DIcky and Redd are sitting in a diner, with Redd telling the story of Will.
The narrative is like a game of Telephone, where the basic story becomes more and more exaggerated.
Redd not only knows the story, but says emphatically, “Man, I was there!”
It seems that Will, who may (or may not) be a fictional character, made a Madden NFL call with time running out in a game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys that has become legendary.
“Down by three, seven seconds on the clock, seven-yard line, fourth and three, no timeouts left. The only option he has: A field goal to tie it up and force overtime,” says Redd.
“So Will brings out his field goal unit like anybody would do. The opponent calls time out to ice the kicker. So Will says to himself, ‘Let’s go. I got this.’ Will eyes the coverage . . . decides to take a shot.”
By now, the conversation has attracted a crowd, including Nicky Minaj, a self-professed Madden player.
Instead of a field goal, Will sends out the offensive unit and calls a play, which goes from a run by Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott to a lateral to TE Geoff Swain (“A blocking TE with no career TDs,” boasts Will) who dives into the end zone in to score the game-winning TD.
“So Will starts going crazy,” continues Redd with the story. “Starts talking mad trash. That’s the Greatest Call Ever!”
While jumping around, Will’s cell phone falls out of his pocket and dials a random number — turns out it belongs to rapper Quavo, who happens to be playing Madden, who hears Will’s excitement and decides to turn it into a song.
“I’m a legend like Will/Be real like Will/Big rings like Will/I score at will.”
"That’s when things get really crazy," explains Redd
Will gets his own hot sauce, Fourth and Hot; a 30 for 30 documentary on ESPN; a freeway billboard; jewelry with his image on it; and being included in the plot line of an episode of SpongeBob SquarePants.
Even more amazing, Quevo's song was playing on the radio in a hospital room where Will’s aunt was in a coma, which woke her up, according to the story.
When the camera pull’s back, we see the name of the diner they have been sitting has changed from Chips to Will’s.
All or some of which may or may not be true, But as Nicki and others say at the end, “Heck of a play call.”
The video is from ad agency Johannes Leonardo, NY.
Nicki Minaj is also part of the Madden NFL 19 soundtrack on three songs: Post Malone’s “Ball For Me” (feat. Nicki Minaj) YG’s “Big Bank” (feat. 2 Chainz, Big Sean & Nicki Minaj) and Young Thug’s “Anybody” (feat. Nicki Minaj).
The Madden NFL 19 soundtrack created its own news when it was uncovered that YG’s song, "Big Bank," had been altered to eliminate the name of Colin Kaepernick.
In the original lyrics, Big Sean raps, “Feed me to the wolves/Now I lead the pack and shit/You boys all cap/I’m more Colin Kaepernick."
The soundtrack, omits Kaepernick's name.
“We made an unfortunate mistake with our Madden NFL soundtrack," EA said in a statement.
"Members of our team misunderstood the fact that while we don't have rights to include Colin Kaepernick in the game, this doesn't affect soundtracks. We messed up, and the edit should never have happened.
“We will make it right, with an update to Madden NFL 19 on August 6 that will include the reference again. We meant no disrespect, and we apologize to Colin, to YG and Big Sean, to the NFL, to all of their fans and our players for this mistake."
Last month. EA Sports unveiled Pittsburgh Steelers WR Antonio Brown as the Madden NFL 19 and Madden NFL Overdrive cover athlete. He also is part of the Madden 99 Club, joining "an elite group of players rated 99 OVR."
Former NFL WR and new Pro Football Hall of Fame member Terrell Owens is on the cover of the Madden NFL 19 Hall of Fame edition
Antonio Brown Catches Madden NFL 19 Cover
Back to Home Page