Stephen A. Smith can’t catch a break in latest ESPN BET spot
In Deli, Smith debates his local deli owner on whether you need a “superstar quarterback” to win.
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The new spot titled Deli, from Arts & Letters and partners ESPN and PENN Entertainment, stars legendary on-air personality, ESPN on NBA analyst and host of First Take, Stephen A. Smith, along with a cameo from Chris “Mad Dog” Russo.
In Deli, Smith debates his local deli owner on whether you need a “superstar quarterback” to win.
“We’re excited to debut this fun, new ESPN BET spot featuring Smith as football season gets underway. Sports and betting discussion is happening around the clock and this ad puts Stephen A. in his element as he weighs in on a football debate,” said Jennifer Weissman, Chief Marketing Officer, PENN Entertainment. Deli reinforces a key theme in our approach with the ESPN BET product and brand, that betting is a natural extension of sports fandom."
Credits
powered by
- Agency Arts & Letters/Richmond
- Production Company O Positive
- Director Kenny Herzog
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Credits
powered by
- Agency Arts & Letters/Richmond
- Production Company O Positive
- Director Kenny Herzog
- Executive Producer Marc Grill
- Executive Producer/Founding Partner Ralph Laucella
- Head of Production Devon Clark
- Editorial/Finish XYZ (In-House at Arts & Letters/Richmond)
- Editor Pat Blumer
- Executive Producer Arts & Letters/Richmond
- Color Company 3/New York
- Colorist Tim Masick
- VFX/Finishing Method Studios/New York
- Executive Producer Ananda Reavis
- VFX Artist Wensen Ho
- Sound Design & Mix Sonic Union
- Sound Designer/Audio Mixer Steve Rosen
- Sound Producer Gina Petrarca
- Executive Creative Director Charles Hodges
- Executive Creative Director Molly Jamison
- Creative Director Christine Kim
- Creative Director Andrew Kong
- Creative Sam Christian
- Copywriter Brendan Howard
- Designer Justin Herb
- Head of Production Lisa Gatto Setten
- Executive Producer Calleen Colburn
- Senior Producer Momo Berg-Munch
- Senior Producer Momo Berg-Munch
- Executive Producer Ken Licata
- DP Jonathan Freeman / (DP)
- Assistant Editor Sho Kellam
- Post Producer Rob Rosko
- Color Producer Gwen Frey
- VFX Producer Laura Duncan
Credits
powered by
- Agency Arts & Letters/Richmond
- Production Company O Positive
- Director Kenny Herzog
- Executive Producer Marc Grill
- Executive Producer/Founding Partner Ralph Laucella
- Head of Production Devon Clark
- Editorial/Finish XYZ (In-House at Arts & Letters/Richmond)
- Editor Pat Blumer
- Executive Producer Arts & Letters/Richmond
- Color Company 3/New York
- Colorist Tim Masick
- VFX/Finishing Method Studios/New York
- Executive Producer Ananda Reavis
- VFX Artist Wensen Ho
- Sound Design & Mix Sonic Union
- Sound Designer/Audio Mixer Steve Rosen
- Sound Producer Gina Petrarca
- Executive Creative Director Charles Hodges
- Executive Creative Director Molly Jamison
- Creative Director Christine Kim
- Creative Director Andrew Kong
- Creative Sam Christian
- Copywriter Brendan Howard
- Designer Justin Herb
- Head of Production Lisa Gatto Setten
- Executive Producer Calleen Colburn
- Senior Producer Momo Berg-Munch
- Senior Producer Momo Berg-Munch
- Executive Producer Ken Licata
- DP Jonathan Freeman / (DP)
- Assistant Editor Sho Kellam
- Post Producer Rob Rosko
- Color Producer Gwen Frey
- VFX Producer Laura Duncan
“For this most recent round of ESPN BET we wanted to capture that playful tension you get when having a sports debate with a friend, family member, or even your neighbourhood Deli owner,” said Chris Kim, Creative Director at Arts & Letters Creative Co. “And who better to have that debate than one of the most notorious debaters, Stephen A. Smith.”
The spot will air across ESPN platforms and paid media through this fall. What a Play. launched in November 2023 when ESPN BET debuted. Previous work in the campaign has featured ESPN talent including Scott Van Pelt, Elle Duncan, Mike Greenberg, Stanford Steve and Kendrick Perkins.
This is Smith’s second appearance in BET’s What a Play. brand platform, following his Pool Hall debut timed to the NBA Playoffs earlier this Spring.
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