Secure your place at the Digiday Media Buying Summit in Nashville, March 2-4
It took six months, but a mobile phone brand finally realized that Drake’s “Hotline Bling” is perfectly suitable for a marketing tie-in.
T-Mobile revealed its Super Bowl 50 ad this morning on Twitter starring the rapper, whose song became a massive hit bolstered by his viral music video. The 30-second spot replicates Drake recording the music video and singing the lyric “you used to call me on my cellphone,” before three executives by a rival companies drop in slamming him with strict contract rules.
Our #BigGame commercial is here…featuring @Drake! #YouGotCarriered https://t.co/ebrSFafLUe
— T-Mobile (@TMobile) February 2, 2016
Besides giving the world another opportunity to laugh at Drake’s dad dancing, T-Mobile is promoting its “Un-Carrier” shtick that let’s people upgrade their phones and stream unlimited music and video with its albeit controversial “Music Freedom” and “Binge On” programs.
T-Mobile gravitates toward using popular celebrities for the Super Bowl. Last year, the brand hired Kim Kardashian to star in a similar self-aware spot. But judging by the Internet’s reaction, Drake is more beloved than Kardashian with people openly tweeting about loving….a phone company.
I’ve never been proud of having T-Mobile until I saw this drake commercial right now.
— Mayra (@MayLovesKidiNk) February 2, 2016
When your fave carrier @TMobile puts your fave rapper @Drake in their commercial. #genius I love y’all
— Natalie. (@TheJacksonEra) February 2, 2016
t-mobile about to cash in. i just showed my cousin (drake lover) the commercial and she wants to switched to t-mobile… we live in canada.
— maya (@mayaamor) February 2, 2016
Drake has T-mobile, I have T-mobile..I’m sensing a connnnnnecccctiiiooooonnnn
— marshamarshaMARSHA (@awkwardlym) February 2, 2016
Your move, Verizon.
More in Marketing
Future of Marketing Briefing: AI’s branding problem is why marketers keep it off the label
The reputational downside is clearer than the branding upside, which makes discretion the safer strategy.
While holdcos build ‘death stars of content,’ indie creative agencies take alternative routes
Indie agencies and the holding company sector were once bound together. The Super Bowl and WPP’s latest remodeling plans show they’re heading in different directions.
How Boll & Branch leverages AI for operational and creative tasks
Boll & Branch first and foremost uses AI to manage workflows across teams.