Giants QB Eli Manning and Broncos QB Peyton Manning, are "at it again, rapping for DirecTV and their new Fantasy Zone channel, which, you guessed it, is dedicated exclusively to fantasy football," according to Bernie Augustine of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. Dressed like they "stole their clothes from Eminem's closet -- Peyton in a white t-shirt, ripped jeans and a chain and Eli in camo pants, a grey long-sleeve T, dog tags and a tilted cap -- the quarterback brothers unleash a stream of nonsensical lyrics that can't help but make viewers laugh." Their father, Archie Manning, makes an appearance "in outer space," while Pro Football HOFer Joe Namath "makes a cameo ... playing to his lady-killing persona with somebody's mom" (
N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/12). The AP's Arnie Stapleton noted the Manning brothers' fantasy "includes an 'end zone that ends in a waterfall,' and 'a shower that showers you with tiny footballs.'" It "finishes with Eli auto-tuning in outer space with a winged horse" and Archie. The brothers
appeared in a similar ad in '13, and Broncos CB Chris Harris said, "The song is better. But I think the last commercial was funnier." Broncos S Rahim Moore added of Peyton, "He's got a little skills in his raps" (
AP, 8/11).
STRONG SEQUEL: ADWEEK's Gabriel Beltrone wrote the ad "leans hard into its own stupidity, delivering a 3-minute blitz that builds from a football filled with nachos to an auto-tuned Eli Manning floating in space," and includes a cameo from Jets RB Chris Johnson. Beltrone: "Extra points to the broadcast brand's agency, Grey New York, for not dropping the ball on the sequel" (ADWEEK.com, 8/11). CBSSPORTS.com's Will Brinson wrote there is "no shortage of amusement or randomness in this ad." Most of it is "silly stuff with the Manning brothers pretending to be rappers," but there could be a "five-picture still photo shoot of that and it'd be amusing" (CBSSPORTS.com, 8/11). In Chicago, Phillip Thompson wrote the "only thing the Mannings are missing in their latest rap video for DirecTV is the brothers joyriding in a stripped down Maybach. But there is a Pegasus, so ..." (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 8/11). BLEACHER REPORT's Dan Carson wrote, "This isn’t madness -- this is Manning" (BLEACHERREPORT.com, 8/11). In DC, Cindy Boren wrote the ad is "utterly spectacular" and "just what mid-August needed." It is "a little more surreal and slickly produced than last year's summer blockbuster classic" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 8/11).
