Mad Men: Green Bay Packers Continue To Rack Up Endorsement Deals
By Barry Janoff
September 6, 2012: If you are not a fan of the Green Bay Packers, you not only will have to avoid their games on national TV, but several commercials that air during NFL broadcasts, as well.
The Packers, located in one of the NFL's smallest markets, remain a favorite team on Madison Avenue. The latest example: Packers linebacker Clay Matthews joins teammates Aaron Rodgers and Greg Jennings as members of the team who have new national endorsements that coincide with the start of the 2012 NFL season.
Matthews takes the lead in a campaign Gillette Fusion ProGlide razor. Rodgers will appear in a national campaign for Pizza Hut supporting the "Big Dinner Box." And Jennings is the new spokesperson for Old Spice in an off-beat marketing push, "Believing in Your Smellf."
Rodgers, who was MVP of Super Bowl XLV when the Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, also stars in commercials for State Farm touting the "Discount Double Check," one of which featured Matthews. Both Gillette and Old Spice are divisions of Procter & Gamble, which, like State Farm, is an official marketing partner of the NFL.
Gillette said it teamed with Matthews to support a campaign for the Gillette Fusion ProGlide razor, which "provides incredible comfort even against the grain [and] Matthews has succeeded by going against the grain of conventional wisdom throughout his football career."
A 30-second TV commercial with Matthews is scheduled to break in October "that captures Matthews challenging the status quo both on and off the field," according to Gillette. Matthews will also appear in digital ads and POP.
Prior to that, Matthews and Gillette will engage consumers by encouraging them to post pictures of their best imitation of Matthews’ “Predator pose” on the brand’s Facebook page. For each photo submitted, Gillette said it would donate $1 to Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Gillette said it's goal is to make a $100,000 donation. (Full details here.)
In a promo spot for the activation, Matthews said he would be checking the site "to see who can best capture my pose. Let's see what you got . . . or you might end up on the wrong end of the pose."
“Through his dedication and persistence both on and off the field, Clay embodies what it means to go against the grain and create your own path,” Elliott Wilke, brand manager for Gillette, said in a statement. “We are thrilled to welcome him to the Gillette family, and are excited to work with him to celebrate the passion of NFL fans this season.”
According to Matthews, “I’m pumped to be partnering with Gillette. I know the NFL has the best fans in sports and I can’t wait to see if any of their ‘Predator poses’ can rival mine.”
Green Bay WR Greg Jennings The New Old Spice Guy
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