ManningCast Musical

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

Peyton Manning’s brainchild, Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli (aka the ManningCast), has perfected a new genre of sports broadcasting that breaks the mold of standard, dry analyst commentary. The Manning brothers’ megacast goes live during Monday Night NFL games, allowing fans to hear commentary from the pair as the action happens. Gearing up for its fourth season, the brothers knew they wanted to build hype for the fan-favorite show in a new, creative way.

They created an 11 minute long video following the structure of a full-length musical, complete with celebrity guests, original songs, costume changes, choreography, and the Manning brother’s signature humor. The clip is completed by a multi-song score contributed by Pulitzer Prize, Grammy, Tony, and Emmy Award-winning composer Tom Kitt, with additional lyrics, music, and arrangement from Mattan Cohen and Michelle Cohen.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

Each piece of content produced by the team aims to unite and uplift fans through the storytelling power of sports. This campaign is no different. The content of the campaign aligns perfectly with the ManningCasts’ vision, bringing in sports leaders and stars from different teams and realms of media to promote everyone’s favorite telecast.

Each second of the 11-minute video was dazzled with the most socially and culturally influential figures. Plus, the content itself is comedic and engaging. The across-the-board creativity demonstrated by the team on this project models excellence in every sense and demonstrates the growing influence of ManningCast as it continues to grow in fandom and acclaim.

Objective

The star-studded trailer aimed to build anticipation for the new ManningCast season and energize fans ahead of the NFL season kicking off. To promote the show last season, the team launched an audition tape around the search for a third program host, featuring stars like Lil Wayne and Tom Brady. This year, the team was committed to crafting something even bigger and better.

Never ones to settle for ordinary, the Manning brothers set their sights on creating a Tony-award worthy promo video. The idea was to launch a full-scale musical trailer featuring the Manning brothers alongside a lineup of celebrity guests, bringing humor, energy, and star power to capture fans’ attention. With over 40 celebrity cameos, the video took on a broad appeal, entertaining not only your avid football viewers, but the broader pop-culture and entertainment world at large.

The trailer set ManningCast season four up for success while simultaneously expanding the Manning brothers’ appeal and presence across digital channels.

Strategy & Execution

Following a similar strategy to the previous season’s promo by leveraging the Manning brothers’ extensive celebrity network, the project proved powerful in its impact and reach. The ad features a massive, curated list of cameos from some of the biggest names in pop culture: from sports legends like Jason Kelce, Roger Goodell, and Bill Belichick to celebrities like Robert Downey Jr., Snoop Dogg, and Livvy Dunne.

In addition to functioning as a standalone ad, the team understood the value of producing and posting shortened social clips for social media. By circulating the 11-minute musical in viral-ready pieces, the ad breaks into new audiences and exposes more people to the show.

From a song about Peyton and Eli’s love of quarter zips to a song featuring NFL coaches making fun of the brothers’ commentary, the musical featured a complete production mirroring the highlights of an actual stage show. Boosted by music and lyrics straight from composers on the Great Wide Way itself, the project captures the true magic of live theatre in a hilarious, heartfelt ad. The campaign successfully conveys the spirit and humor of ManningCast, making it the perfect mix of hilarity and meaning for today's sports fans.

Organizations

• Omaha Productions

Links

•   Website

Featured

• Peyton Manning
• Eli Manning
• Bob Iger
• Jimmy Kimmel
• Guillermo Rodriguez
• Mina Kimes
• Scott Van Pelt
• Adam Schefter
• Roger Goodell
• Kevin Hart
• Livvy Dunne
• Jason Kelce
• Pete Davidson
• John Harbaugh
• Jim Harbaugh
• Brian Daboll
• Mike McDaniel
• Andy Reid
• Sean McVay
• Marshall Manning
• Mosley Manning
• Baker Mayfield
• Gardner Minshew
• Snoop Dogg
• Ray Lewis
• Myles Garrett
• The Backstreet Boys
• Archie Manning
• Robert Downey Jr.
• Michael Bublé
• Justin Tucker
• Ja'Marr Chase
• Paris Hilton
• Bill Burr
• Bill Belichick

Credits

Therese Andrews
Head of Production
Omaha Productions

DJ Gallo
Lead Writer
Omaha Productions

Nicole Solomowitz
Head of Talent
Omaha Productions

Maura Finegan
Video Editor
Omaha Productions

Catherine Ellis
Project Manager
Omaha Productions

Katie Gorman
Production Management
Omaha Productions