Jalen Hurts recently said that he has “moved on” from the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl 59 win. He’s undoubtedly locked in on the season ahead, but with NFL kickoff also comes a new brand partnership for the famously stoic MVP quarterback.
Hurts is the first NFL player to front Sprite’s long-running “Obey Your Thirst” campaign, which returned Monday, July 28, with a new ad called “Success Hurts.”
The amusing 30-second spot sees Hurts being questioned by an overbearing reporter named Thirsten A. Sip (we see what you did there, Sprite). Sip asks Hurts a barrage of irrelevant questions in settings ranging from a press conference to a restaurant, all the way to the tailor.
The work plays on Hurts’ demeanor in real-life interviews, where he remains cool, calm, and collected, despite the sometimes nonsense questions thrown his way.
“Being a part of the next ‘Obey Your Thirst’ campaign is really special,” he exclusively told ADWEEK via email. “This partnership brings back a lot of childhood nostalgia and not only speaks to my core values, but to the standards I’ve set for myself throughout my career—showing up and being yourself is always enough.”
Like with all of his brand partnerships, which also include Jordan Brand and Hulu, Hurts was deeply involved with the creative process, said Joe D’Amelio, senior vice president and head of football marketing at Klutch Sports Group, where Hurts is managed.
A.P. Chaney, senior creative director at Sprite, added that Hurts wrote parts of the script himself and stayed longer on set to perfect his scenes.
“He is a perfectionist in the best way,” she said. “He definitely knows advertising, knows what he likes, and knows what he wants.”
“Success Hurts” was created by Majority with support from WPP Open X, including Ogilvy New York and VML, alongside Publicis Groupe.
The ad will run across linear TV, social media, online video channels, and streaming platforms.
