Betting Apps Make Culture Plays With Kevin Hart, Nick Jonas and Jon Hamm

The latest from DraftKings, BetMGM and bet365

For brand-building among the masses, bankable stars and relatable humor are usually smart, safe bets. So, DraftKings, BetMGM and bet365—courting wide appeal in a growing but oft-contentious category—lean into celebs and quirky comedy for fresh campaigns.

With football, hockey, hoops and post-season baseball gearing up, the wagering apps weave themselves into the fall fabric. They seek to reinforce their standing as value-added players and amplify their expanding cultural cred.

Kevin Hart, meet Nick Jonas

First, Kevin Hart returns for DraftKings, road-tripping with Nick Jonas, who makes his DK debut. William Stefan Smith directs with scenic scope to tout the app’s expanding availability.

“Through their sportsbook and predictions offering, DraftKings is now available in all 50 states, meaning no fan is left out,” says Chris Mendez, creative director at Translation, which helped develop the campaign. “We’re speaking directly to a sports fandom with no bounds, empowering fans to take their game anywhere.”

“That’s exactly how we landed on ‘Take Your Game Anywhere’ as the campaign platform,” he says. “And we figured, what better way to show that fandom can happen wherever you are than a road trip?”

“We shot the film on 35mm to capture a timeless, contemporary Americana feel, and paired it with a classic track playing (“C.C. Rider”) on the radio to bring it all together.”

In a broader sense, “This campaign celebrates the breadth of our country through its sports,” Mendez says. “Whether you’re at a diner with a friend or waiting for a tow truck, you have a chance to get in on the action.”

With that in mind, “Rather than building the campaign around a single offering or moment, we developed a cohesive, story-driven narrative designed to travel the country and evolve from one sports season to the next,” adds brand CMO Stephanie Sherman.

“The campaign will also expand beyond Kevin and Nick as it evolves across sports and seasons,” she says. “Chad Ochocinco and Carmelo Anthony bring natural connections to football and basketball, introducing new personalities and stories as the campaign moves through the sports calendar.”

Jon Hamm slings that trademark snark

Leaning on comedy with a more self-aware, sarcastic vibe, BetMGM and director Dave Meyers cast Man Jon Hamm in CAPE’s first ads for the brand.

“Jon is a fantastic storyteller who knows how to connect with audiences and deliver our message in an authentic and engaging way,” A.J. Mazza, BetMGM senior director of brand strategy and communications, tells Muse. “He has the ability to bring gravitas to any situation while also delivering lighthearted, humorous moments that make him approachable.”

“That aligns perfectly with our brand. We are an aspirational brand in our category with a premium feel, but we remain welcoming and accessible.”

Fair enough. Hamm’s acerbic as ever, but lets viewers in on the joke.

CAPE group creative director Nick Novich says “BetMGM has something the other apps don’t: It actually exists in the real world. Vegas. Casinos. Sportsbooks. Places where the brand already lives beyond the screen.”

“So, we wanted to stop treating BetMGM like an app and start treating it like a world people could enter. That world became ‘The Legends Lounge.’ Yes, it’s a set. But we treated it like a real place, obsessing over every detail, from the art on the walls to the glassware on the tables.”

Appropriately enough, things got very real after the team wrapped shooting in Brooklyn.

“We finished in the middle of the Knicks game, watched them win the championship together in the Lounge, then took it to the streets to celebrate,” Novich recalls. “Pretty fitting for a campaign built around where the big moments happen.”

Backwoods banjos and not-so-hot rods

Finally, VML Seattle’s work for bet365 slots neatly between DK and MGM. We get eccentric Americana (from a U.K.-based brand) with filmic flair from director Alice Mathias, but no big-name endorsers.

First, a spot designed to intro the app in West Virginia—though its themes are pretty universal:

“Even though they’re meant to parody the nostalgic movie genres we grew up with, we approached each spot with as much rigor and cinematic integrity as possible,” says agency ECD Kyle Gracey.

Next, street racing roars across the screen:

“The scale of the ‘Finish Line’ set was huge. Stunt drivers, loud cars, fire barrels and a massive crowd of extras attracted a lot of attention around L.A., even though we shot overnight,” Gracey says. “We had hecklers, a nearby rave and fireworks being shot off overhead at 4am in the middle of our shoot.”

“Pretty wild, but we didn’t let it take away from the fun parts of this production. I mean c’mon, stunt drivers and fire? It was great!”

Appealing might be more apt, and that goes for all three campaigns. Each makes its case by tweaking familiar tropes just enough to feel fresh, without risking equity or goodwill on overblown games of chance.

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