Watch BetMGM’s Super Bowl ad teaser with Tom Brady and Vince Vaughn

A self-deprecating Tom Brady stars with actor Vince Vaughn in a teaser video released today for BetMGM’s forthcoming Super Bowl ad. Wayne Gretzky, who does not appear in the teaser, will also be a part of the Super Bowl spot, a 30-second ad set to run in the first quarter of the Feb. 11 game on CBS. The video released today is the first of three teasers intended to drum up interest for the first-time Super Bowl advertiser, which wants to highlight a welcoming brand personality and show up big while the Super Bowl is in its home city of Las Vegas, according to Mark Gross, chief creative officer of Highdive, the brand’s new agency of record. “It’s really big for MGM in that they have such a tremendous presence in Las Vegas and the Super Bowl is in Las Vegas. So they really want to capitalize on that,” said Gross. MGM’s Las Vegas properties include the resort hotels Bellagio, Aria, MGM Grand, MGM Park, Mandalay Bay and Delano Las Vegas. “They’re massive, so they’re excited. It’s their home turf. It’s a big moment for them.” Super Bowl commercials Tracking the latest brand and agency plans Enter here This marks the first marketing appearance for BetMGM for Brady. Vaughn, who previously appeared in ads for competitor Caesars Sportsbook, is also making his first ad for BetMGM. Gretzky has previously appeared in marketing for the brand. BetMGM is looking to its stars to help amplify the message on their respective social channels. “We’re leveraging the celebs,” Gross said. “Tom has a great social presence. Tom is going to be tweeting out the spots, and interacting during the game, and the same thing with Vince.” (Brady has 3 million followers on X, formerly known as Twitter.) Filming the first ever @BetMGM Big Game ad didn’t go as planned. Find out why on 2.11.24 #ad pic.twitter.com/geOJI6zF73— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) January 18, 2024 Brady has a long list of endorsement deals but this would appear to be his first with a sportsbook operator. In 2021, Brady’s then-wife, Gisele Bündchen, was named a special advisor to the board of directors of DraftKings. Brady was a focus of a recent promotion by Fanatics, which also operates a sportsbook. For BetMGM, Brady will “grab people’s attention and make waves,” according to Gross. Creatively, Highdive intends to highlight a “welcoming, warm, clever and witty” brand personality that stems from BetMGM's heritage as a resort casino operator. It’s part of an attempt to differentiate itself from competitors such as FanDuel, DraftKings or ESPNBet with origins in sports. “We want to get across that this brand is for all types of bettors,” Gross said. “Some of the other brands focus on that frat-boyish type bettor. And I think that BetMGM welcomes all into the fold—expert bettors, serious bettors and new bettors.” FanDuel, which is also advertising in the Super Bowl, has launched its own hype campaign, teasing Rob Gronkowski’s upcoming attempt at a field goal that could win its users free bets. DraftKings will sit out the game but plans to run ads in the pregame featuring spokesman and comedic actor Kevin Hart. Advertising in the sports betting industry has tended to focus on user acquisition as more states approve sports gambling and services win approval to operate in additional states. That growth opportunity remains strong, said Gross, but BetMGM would also like to impart a message of quality that differentiates the service from competitors. “I think there’s a brand quality that’s a little bit better, and it’s how MGM ties into their properties,” Gross said. “I wouldn’t say it’s high-end, but there’s a better-quality perception than some other brands in our field and that’s because it started as a casino brand. I think they [BetMGM] like to leverage that.” Two additional teasers and a 60-second cut of the Super Bowl ad will be released before the Super Bowl, which Gross said would help the brand collect app signups and Super Bowl wagers. “It’s all about getting people to download the app and start experiencing the app and betting,” Gross said. “So we’re going out early with the teasers to get excitement, not only for the game, which most brands do, but to get direct downloads, get people betting.” ~ ~ ~CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly reported that Vince Vaughn had appeared in prior BetMGM marketing. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs

Watch BetMGM’s Super Bowl ad teaser with Tom Brady and Vince Vaughn

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