• by Danielle Oster , October 25, 2024

 Verizon prepaid wireless brand Visible turned to a nostalgic gaming classic for its latest campaign designed to appeal to football fans, while featuring a familiar voice.

Visible’s “Score After Score After Score” is an animated ad stylized to resemble arcade-style football video game series “NFL Blitz”: the over-the-top, decidedly unrealistic take on a football video game developed by Midway Games and initially released  in arcades in 1997, followed by a port to home gaming consoles the following year.

A Visible brand representative explained that the approach grew out of a desire to reach consumers with an engaging message playing on nostalgia for classic gaming.

The ad pays homage to the series with mock gameplay, depicting a pixelated player running through the end zone and engaging in one of the game’s over-the-top celebration dances alongside messaging celebrating Visible’s $25 per month wireless plan. But the ad goes a step further, drafting Tim Kitzrow for the voiceover. Kitzrow’s distinctive voice is likely instantly recognizable to fans of the series and beyond, as he voiced play-by-play commentary for the series -- as well as  “NBA Jam” and similarly stylized “NHL Hitz” and “MLB Slugfest” games.

“During the creative development process, we knew Tim’s voice was synonymous with ‘NFL Blitz,’ and his energy truly embodies the spirit and nostalgia we were going for. His involvement added an authentic touch that allowed the campaign to reach its full potential and resonated well with our audience without being cheesy,” a Visible brand representative told Marketing Daily, noting that the campaign’s approach was “playful and engaging.”

The “Score After Score After Score” ad made its debut during NFL broadcasts last week, and is also running on social media channels. The campaign will continue running through the end of the year, with a mix of TV advertising, programmatic online video on YouTube, and social media components.