Hefty Is Going All In on 'John Cena Is a Sex Symbol' as Its Ad Strategy

John Cena is, among a host of things, a branding chameleon. Whether he’s singing the praises of car freshener or doubling as a lovelorn, vodka-slinging boy bander, the man can sell just about anything. It’s hardly difficult to figure out how this is so; his charm and versatile appeal are as magnetic as they are marketable. That’s why Hefty has once again enlisted the help of the WWE superstar and partnering agency Havas Chicago Village for the latest Ultra Strong campaign. Pairing the durability of their trash bags with one of the toughest guys in all of entertainment? It continues to prove itself a match made in brand heaven...even if said charm can be a bit of a distraction to those in his immediate presence. In the latest collection of ad spots, Cena is still the talk of the grocery store as he tries to preach the good word about the reliability and affordability that comes with the Hefty brand. However, it’s hard to talk trash bags when you’re face-to-face with a winning smile and a jawline that could cut glass. In each of the three ad spots—“Toddler,” Scored,” and “Checkout,”—the patrons have a humorously hard time resisting his essence: [kickout id="1"] [kickout id="2"] [kickout id="3"] The current campaign bears a strong resemblance to Cena's other ads for Hefty in recent years, which actually speaks to the confidence of the brand. Rather than wasting precious airspace with time-consuming demonstrations that may or may not spark consumer interest, Hefty allows Cena’s natural persona to take center stage while letting their name and history speak for themselves. “We continue working with John Cena because his humor and strength truly embody the brand,” says Lisa Smith, marketing vp at Hefty, "and the latest work is no different." CREDITS: Client/Brand: Reynolds Consumer Products - Hefty/Hefty Ultra Strong President: Dave Bryla Vice President: Lisa Smith Sr. Marketing Director: Matt Maurer Sr. Brand Manager: Lindsey Walter Sr. Brand Manager: Jen Varela Sr. Analytics Director: Michael Hugo Creative Agency: Havas Chicago Executive Creative Director: Tim Nolan Group Creative Director: Karen Goodman Sr. Copywriter: Eric Yohnka Copywriter: Abby Wiscomb Sr. Art Director: Sarah Berkley Jr. Art Director: Lorenzo Jimenez Head of Production, North America: Dave Evans Executive Producer: Brigette Whisnant Director of Broadcast Business Affairs: Bonnie Hamilton Group Strategy Director: Michelle Gerstin Senior Strategist: Lacey Meece Group Account Director: Jennifer Bennett Account Director: Kristy Hughes Account Executive: Jerica DeWolfe SVP, Group Client Director of Media: Shawn Mulroney Associate Media Director: Michelle Keady Senior Media Planner: Isa Brindza Production Pretty Bird Director: Matt Piedmont Line Producer: Bernard Rahill Executive Producer: Ali Brown Director of Production: Tracy Hauser Postproduction Edit Whitehouse Chicago Editor: Dan Zabinski Executive Producer: Kristin Angeletti Producer: Maggie Miller VFX Post Carbon Managing Director: Phil Linturn Producer: Kate Soczka