FanDuel - Sportsbook Rob Gronkowski Super Bowl Kick of Destiny 2 (2024) :60 (USA)

FanDuel is bringing back their "Kick of Destiny" campaign for Super Bowl LVIII, but with a twist. This time, Gronk won't be kicking a field goal during a live commercial. Instead, the kick will air before the game starts. The campaign is all about giving Gronk a shot at redemption as he tries to make a live 25-yard field goal. To add some star power, John Cena and Carl Weathers will also appear in ads. Will Gronk finally make the kick this time? We'll have to tune in to find out!

Last year's "Kick of Destiny" campaign did not go as planned, as Rob Gronkowski missed his live field goal attempt. However, the campaign generated a lot of buzz for the brand, and FanDuel was pleased with the outcome. 17 million users placed Super Bowl bets on the app, making them eligible to share in a $10 million "bonus bet" giveaway if Gronk made the kick.

So, FanDuel is back with "Kick of Destiny 2" for Super Bowl LVIII. This time, the live kick won't be a part of a live commercial. Instead, it will air on CBS before the game begins as the penultimate chapter in a five-part story. The kick will air during a commercial break sometime between the National Anthem and kickoff. This will allow FanDuel's second-quarter game ad to be an outcome-specific "celebration" based on the result. The ad will be dependent on the outcome of the kick, so two versions of the ad are being prepared.

The campaign is meant to drive new FanDuel subscriptions ahead of the Feb. 11 game in Las Vegas. Last year’s campaign helped FanDuel acquire 70% market share of new users, the brand said.

The story arc is built around a shot at redemption for Gronkowski, as he attempts to make a live 25-yard field goal once again. The brand is adding celebrity firepower to the stunt, with ads also starring wrestler-turned-actor John Cena and actor Carl Weathers. Kay Adams, host of FanDuel TV’s “Up & Adams,” will serve as commentator.

The campaign will play out over a series of TV and digital media ads leading up to the Super Bowl. The first of these ads shows a bedraggled Gronk wandering through the desert when Carl Weathers pulls up in a sidecar motorcycle. The actor, who has starred in sports movies such as “Rocky” and “Happy Gilmore,” will play Gronkowski’s trainer and leader of “Team Make.” A rival will later emerge in John Cena, who will lead “Team Miss.”

Ad agency: Wieden+Kennedy