EA Sports every August plugs its latest "Madden NFL" video game, but this year, the marketer and Johannes Leonardo, N.Y., are "plotting waves of content -- rather than one big splash -- in a bid to pump out real-time responses to what could be one of the craziest seasons" in NFL history, according to E.J. Schultz of AD AGE. The effort, which kicked off yesterday, stars actor Keraun Harris, a.k.a "King Keraun," a TikTok and Instagram "phenom whose skills at creating quick-hit comedic posts are expected to key a season-long campaign." Johannes Leonardo Creative Dir Omid Amidi said, "We wanted to create something that has a long-lasting effect -- a platform more than a campaign or one-hit wonder." In the campaign, Harris "plays a 'spokesplayer,' a made-up label meant to represent a consigliere-type figure to the game's top stars, who, in the campaign's point-of-view, are more into their on-field performance than making a splash off of it." The first ad "shows the spokesplayer taking calls" from Patriots QB Cam Newton, Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. This year's approach is "geared for quick-turn social content." The campaign also includes "traditional media buys on networks including ESPN and NFL Network" (ADAGE.com, 8/19).
