Anomaly and Huge collaborated on an Oscars campaign for Kohl’s which includes a 60-second spot making unexpected use of Cuba Gooding Jr.’s 1997 acceptance speech for winning best supporting actor for his role in Jerry Maguire.
“Alright, movie night,” says a mother at the start of the spot, as the father moves to hand the remote to their daughter. “No dad, you pick,” the girl says, to which the dad is so surprised and excited that he can’t stay seated. He then launches into an acceptance speech, which is actually Gooding Jr.’s aforementioned enthusiastic acceptance speech from 1997, opening with ““I know I have a little bit of time, so I’m gonna rush and say everybody and you can cut away, I won’t be mad at you.” The seemingly out-of-nowhere speech befuddles the man’s parents, who he thanks while they are reading in bed in another room, and visibly embarrasses his daughter (naturally). All the while, the actor playing the role does an admirable job of matching Gooding Jr.’s enthusiasm, even leaping up and down at the conclusion of the speech. It makes for a memorable ad, whether or not it has much (or anything, really) to do with the brand. The 30-second spot will run during ABC’s broadcast of the Oscars on February 28, along with three other ads employing a similar approach in the brand’s first sponsorship of the event. The campaign also includes a series of online spots featuring Vanessa Bayer and Mindy Weiss.
“Kohl’s Oscars sponsorship includes a series of broadcast spots that build off of the excitement of the Oscars and focus on the universal feeling of gratitude — both in big moments, such as winning an award, or in everyday moments of celebration,” Will Setliff, Kohl’s executive vice president, marketing, told AdAge. “The spots honor iconic Oscars acceptance speeches and we are excited to reminisce with viewers at home as these memorable speeches come to life through everyday moments.”