For decades professional athletes have been used as spokespeople in television commercials. Who can forget ‘Mean’ Joe Greene back in 1979 having a coke and a smile?
Unfortunately, not every commercial is as iconic as Greene’s Coca-Cola ad. Nowadays NFL fans are inundated with endless advertisements featuring professional athletes. So much so that we hardly even notice or care anymore. (Victor Cruz, please stop trying to sell me Time Warner Cable). There is no doubt that the athlete endorsement has lost some of its charm. Fortunately for us, there is a team of brothers out there who have made it their personal mission to end boring athlete endorsement ads forever. I’m talking of course about Peyton and Eli Manning.
Over the last several years, the Manning brothers have been responsible for some of the most entertaining and downright hilarious television commercials. Take this recent DIRECTV ad for example:
Following up their “Football Cops” fame, the duo is currently working on their latest ad campaign that will air sometime in the coming months, as we inch closer to football season. The good folks at Giants101.com were able to give us a glimpse at the new ad by tweeting out this picture on July 12:
A sneak peek at Eli Manning & Peyton Manning’s new DirectTV commercial.
A sneak peek at Eli Manning & Peyton Manning's new DirectTV commercial. pic.twitter.com/ewJH7QOLZd
— Giants 101 (@Giants_101) July 12, 2013
We’re not quite sure what the Manning brothers are supposed to be, but you can already tell from the photo that this ad campaign looks like another winner. Their TV spots over the years have been so good that they even impressed Saturday Night Live executive producer Lorne Michaels. Each brother has hosted SNL, and left us with some unforgettable sketches.
On the field it is clear that Peyton and Eli were both blessed with that “clutch gene”. Both posses the ability to make the tough throw in the big spot. This is not necessarily surprising, considering their pedigree. Father Archie Manning enjoyed quite a bit of NFL success in his day as well, passing for nearly 24,000 yards in 13 NFL seasons. What may surprise people is that Archie must have passed on the funny gene as well. Take a look at some of these TV spots featuring papa Manning.
Is it fair to say that the Manning family has changed the way advertisers write commercials? Well, maybe that’s overdoing it; but they have definitely changed the game when it comes to celebrity endorsements. It is no longer acceptable for Tom Brady to just look at the camera, smile, and tell us to wear Uggs. Maybe if Tom put that great arm accuracy to work by throwing shoes through the windows of unsuspecting customers – now that’s good TV! Who knows, maybe Brady could even have his own partner in crime. I hear Brett Favre is unemployed these days (provided he isn’t too busy shooting more ads for Wrangler.)
As the 2013-2014 NFL season is almost upon us, there is quite a bit to look forward to. Peyton’s Broncos are an AFC west favorite; and with the addition of WR Wes Welker, Peyton is poised for a possible record-breaking season. Eli’s Giants are not looking to bad themselves. With all the recent coaching turnovers in Dallas and Philadelphia, we don’t really know what to expect from the Cowboys or the Eagles. The Redskins have talent, but the success of the team rests on the ability of Robert Griffin III to stay healthy, while simultaneously avoiding that pesky sophomore slump. When the dust settles, the Giants should have a great chance at a postseason birth, with Eli in search of his third ring. But no matter how their respective seasons turn out, we know one thing for certain: Peyton and Eli Manning will make us laugh in 2013.
Here are some of our favorites from over the years. Enjoy!
