Deion Sanders Goes Nuts for California Almonds in ‘Own Your Prime’ Campaign
Comically on brand, the hero spot sees Deion donning a large almond-shaped jewel around his neck in a mansion decked out with nut paraphernalia, from pillow cases to paintings. As a play on his ‘Coach Prime’ nickname, the star motivates viewers to own their prime with California Almonds, touting the exercise recovery benefits of the superfood.
Agency Sterling-Rice Group (SRG) found a seasoned brand ambassador in Deion, the star of numerous commercials over the years whose charm radiates off the screen. Jumping at the opportunity to direct the athlete turned coach, Tim K of Bob Industries joined the team to help them fine tune their vision for the campaign.
Presenting Tim with a witty script, the agency wanted to lean towards over the top visuals while allowing Deion to inject his own personality into the spot - music to Tim’s ears. An actual visual feast, the exaggerated set sees Deion lounge lavishly in a mansion where almonds rain down at the pull of a cord. Production designer Richard Lasalle’s custom nut props also pack each frame with visual gags: ranging from the obvious (a bright almond ruby glaring out from around Deion’s neck) to the subtle (the demure glint of an almond trophy), the Easter eggs demand a rewatch. By the end, even footballs themselves seem suspiciously shaped.
Tim collaborated closely with SRG to prepare the various elements of the shoot prior to Deion’s arrival, allowing the star to focus on conveying his famous charisma and comedic sensibility on screen. A full pre-light day and an extensive tech scout locking in every frame and camera move also meant they were raring to go when they arrived at each set, wasting no precious time with Coach Prime. Luckily, they found a location in Boulder with flexible homeowners that allowed them to move and mould the house to their nutty needs.
Tim K comments, “Coach Prime is inspiring on the college football scene, supporting the young men under his tutelage, and he was a champion on set too. We were also very excited to cast six of his current players alongside him - having them on set was great for the energy and added another fun element to this amazing project.”
He adds, “Bob Industries is a legendary shop in the comedy ad space, and EPs and owners T. K. Knowles and John O’Grady are the most supportive partners a guy could ask for, so I’m very pleased to be on their roster. We want to keep pushing into the comedy space with projects that not only interest us, but allow us to align with the best agency work that’s being produced.”
The spots first aired on Saturday 2nd September, during Deion’s winning first game as the University of Colorado’s head coach.
