I will admit to crying when Budweiser made local Canadian hockey teams feel like Stanley Cup skaters in its Buper Bowl ad. This new sports “social media activation” from Citizen Paine, Gigunda and prodco Plenty NYC is similarly heartwarming, though I doubt any tears will be shed (still, watch until the end for an adorable lawnmower moment).
As part of its new role as the ‘Trusted Battery Power of the NFL,’ Duracell partnered with San Francisco 49er and All-Pro linebacker Patrick Willis to help “power” San Fran residents. For one day, the hulking man responded to tweets marked with the hashtag #PatrickPower, answering requests across the city. Willis walked a loyal fan’s puppy, bought groceries, made dinner, and babysat quarterback Alex Smith’s son. That’s what we like to see—rough & tumble footballers harnessing their brawn for the greater good. Hopefully this is the first of many power plays.