Nationwide Tags New Ad With Danica Patrick’s Cellphone Number

Nationwide Insurance’s new ad features a call to action you don’t see very often: Danica Patrick’s cellphone number. In the spot, fellow racer Dale Earnhardt Jr. is seen holding up a sign that says “Danica’s Cell: 480-388-0988” and then giving her a “call me” gesture. She’s actually been married seven years, but fanboys can dream. (And Dale’s obviously not big on the institution, anyway.) Yes, yes, of course the number’s fake. But like a lot of curious viewers out there, I decided to give it a call. Danica’s supposed voicemail mentions the ad and reminds you to visit the insurer’s JoinTheNation.com site. But she also invites callers to leave a message, hinting that you might even shape one of the future ads: “If you’d rather leave me a message with your thoughts on how I could get Dale back, that’d be great. If I like your idea, I might just personally return your call.”