• by Danielle Oster , September 6, 2024

Sports analyst and former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick mutually agreed to part ways with the Patriots following the 2023-2024 NFL season, ending a 24-year tenure leading the team. Now Belichick is tackling a new coaching position, serving as “fan coach” in DoorDash’s new campaign for the NFL season.

A launch ad for the campaign depicts Belichick announcing his latest career move at a press conference, before taking off his jacket to reveal a DoorDash hoodie, as a cozy living room couch slides in behind him.

The multi-channel campaign will unfold across a series of lighthearted ads showing Belichick providing advice to fans to help navigate fan questions about subjects like best-practices for ordering food on gameday, fantasy football, and the importance of having wings – even if you’re already out there grilling burgers.

A total of six “fan coach” ads featuring Belichick will run across national TV, digital, and social media platforms, created by DoorDash’s in-house creative studio, Superette, in collaboration with director Pete Marquis.

Beyond the campaign launch ad, DoorDash released a series of four ads depicting the “fan coach” in action, which play up the coach’s reputation for being gruff and curt during interviews.

In “Grill,” the coach responds with trademark intimidating bruskness, and delivers a sarcasm-filled response in “Fantasy” in a conversation around fantasy football in the spot, “Fantasy.” He plays against type when giving the rundown on ordering “Options,” and delivers simple (if unconvincing) advice for keeping the crowd going during half time in “Let’s Party.”

The campaign also features a number of supporting elements, including external brand partnerships, activations with influencer partners, and engagement with fans on social media.

Fans will also have a chance to get their hands on their own DoorDash “Fan Coach Hoodie” – a hoodie sweatshirt with cutoff sleeves and the DoorDash logo, like the one Belichick wears in the campaign. The hoodie also sports an insulated pocket and comes with a $50 DoorDash gift card.

Interested fans can submit questions for the “fan coach” by posting or commenting using the “#FanCoachSweeps” hashtag on Instagram, TikTok, or X during designated entry periods before October 6 – and enter for a chance to win the exclusive apparel prize.

The campaign follows the brand’s “Your Door To More” campaign that kicked off with a “DoorDash All The Ads” Super Bowl spot pledging to deliver every item advertised in the Super Bowl to a sweepstakes winner – with customers automatically entered when ordering from the platform.

“Building on the success of our disruptive Super Bowl campaign” (for which DoorDash was one of the Big Game advertisers to see the greatest lift), DoorDash vice president, brand and creative Renaldo Chapman said in a statement, “we are committed to continuing to raise the bar by kicking off this football season with a legend, Bill Belichick, and a few select friends.”