Behind every successful golfer on the course there’s a supportive caddie, providing advice and analysis on the best shots and clubs. But do you ever wonder if golfers seek the expertise from their caddies on daily tasks as well?
That’s the premise of the latest “This is SportsCenter” commercial, starring 2015 PGA Player of the Year Jordan Spieth, caddie Michael Greller and SC anchor Stan Verrett.
In the 30-second spot, titled “Utensils,” Spieth seeks Greller’s advice on the best utensil to tackle a bowl of mac and cheese. Given Spieth’s refined golf game, it’s no surprise that fellow diners want to steal his secrets, including a sneaky onlooker — Verrett. Also starring in the commercial is San Diego Padres mascot Swinging Friar, whose distinctive hairdo can be spotted at a table behind Spieth.
The spot was filmed in ESPN’s Los Angeles office in mid-February. Since there is not a cafeteria in that building, the production team built a temporary cafeteria in a corner of the building – similarly to what they did for Steph Curry’s “Chicken Curry” spot.
Front Row spoke with Welles Wiley, associate Marketing manager, about creating the spot:
How did the idea come about?
This script had actually been gathering dust for a few years, so we were really excited to finally see it come to life. When Spieth agreed to do the shoot with us, we knew this would be a perfect script for him because it’s such a great interaction between him and his caddy, and they’re famous for having a very strong relationship on and off the course.
Why did you choose mac and cheese for this spot?
That’s a credit to our writers at Wieden & Kennedy New York – they realized mac and cheese is probably the no. 1 food you can go either fork or spoon on. Every bowl presents its own advantages and hazards, so you have to choose your utensil wisely.
How many bites of mac and cheese did Jordan have to eat for this spot?
Apparently we did 51 takes of the spot, so he must have eaten at least 51 bites. Our shoot started at 9 a.m. that day so Spieth was a true champ for eating a huge mac and cheese breakfast that day.
ESPN will air live first and second round play in the Masters Tournament from Augusta National Golf Club on Thursday and Friday, April 7-8, at 3 p.m. ET as well as coverage of the Masters Par 3 Contest on Wednesday, April 6, at 3 p.m. A one-hour SportsCenter at the Masters preview airs April 6 at 5 p.m. on ESPN and extensive Masters coverage will air on SportsCenter throughout the week of the event.
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