Duracell ad featuring deaf Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman getting raves
Jan 14, 2014, 9:43 AM | Updated: 12:08 pm
Batteries never seemed so cool.
An ad featuring Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman is getting rave reviews.
“USA Today headlines it a ‘commercial that will give you chills,'” says KIRO Radio’s Tom Tangney. “It is that good.”
Coleman is the first legally deaf offensive player in the NFL. In the ad, Coleman talks about the challenges he faced being a deaf player.
“They told me it couldn’t be done, that I was a lost cause. I was picked on and picked last. Coaches didn’t know how to talk to me. They gave up on me, told me I should just quit,” says Coleman. “But I’ve been deaf since I was 3, so I didn’t listen. And now I’m here with a lot of fans in the NFL cheering me on.”
“It practically brings tears to your eyes,” says Tom who calls it a “manipulative but brilliant ad.”
The ad is for Duracell. But Tom points out it’s hard to see the connection to batteries.
“Does he need the batteries for his hearing aids? It has nothing to do with anything,” says Tom. “All they know is they’re attaching their name to a kick ass commercial.”
While he’s not sure how much it will impact Duracell sales, co-host John Curley says it certainly will get Duracell a lot of exposure.
“It is something people will send to one another. It will go viral super fast because it’s just such a cool looking ad.”