Tweet Tooth: Todd Gurley Lands Jolly Rancher Endorsement Deal After Social Media Plug

Rams RB Todd Gurley "not only donned a tutu, but danced to 'I'm a Little Teapot,' for a 15-second TV spot for Hershey's Jolly Rancher candy," marking the rookie's "first brand campaign and TV commercial," according to Karlene Lukovitz of MARKETING DAILY. The "Being a Rookie Sucks" spot, via Anomaly, N.Y., "aired nationally for the first time" during Sunday's NFL games, and is "being featured on Jolly Rancher's Twitter and Facebook pages." It is the latest creative for the brand's "recently launched 'Keep on Sucking' campaign." Gurley -- who "was recruited as a brand rep after he tweeted about his 'addiction' to the candies -- is of course now tweeting about his Jolly Rancher campaign." Jolly Rancher "also has a partnership" with the NFL's Twitter presence. A Jolly Rancher spokesperson said that the brand's Gurley pre-roll "will surround 80 highlights per week through the end of the year, and it's syndicating some of the earned media highlights" (MEDIAPOST.com, 11/9). ESPN.com's Darren Rovell noted Gurley "made known his love for Jolly Rancher Bites" via Twitter on Jan. 14. Gurley said, "I didn't think I would get anything out of it, but I'm glad that I did." Jolly Rancher execs "were looking to appeal to an 18- to 24-year-old demographic." Company officials said that people in that demographic are 173% more likely "to have played football in the last year" and 76% more likely "to have played in a fantasy sports league compared to the general population" (ESPN.com, 11/5).