Chiney Ogwumike Stars in DoorDash's Cosmic Ad Backing Women-Owned Restaurants

Tacos al Pastor just tastes better when it arrives in a shiny metallic basketball, and who doesn’t enjoy pulling out the old telescope to watch scoops of ice cream streak across the Milky Way?

Such cosmic imagery pervades a fun new commercial, with WNBA all-star and ESPN commentator Chiney Ogwumike charging down a Kurbrickian court—made of pad Thai instead of parquet—for DoorDash:

Created in-house with VFX house Parliament and Smuggler director Brian Beletic, the spacey spot, titled “Enter the Zone,” dropped this week, timed to International Women’s Day on Monday, as part of a broader DoorDash effort to champion women-owned businesses.

The film’s celestial vibe feels fitting given Ogwumike’s status as a rising star. And it syncs with the brand’s commitment, in providing exposure and cash, to help female entrepreneurs reach new heights.

To that end, the delivery service just launched “Made by Women,” an in-app feature that make it easier for users to discover and support hundreds of participating restaurants. For example, searching with the keyword “Women Owned” pulls up ordering information for such eateries across 40 states.

What’s more, DoorDash will match loans for women-owned businesses, up to $5,000, through a partnership with global non-profit Kiva, which provides crowdfunded interest-free capital. The company will also donate $1 per order from participating merchants, up to $100,000, to the James Beard Foundation’s Women’s Leadership Programs.

“DoorDash and Chiney have many shared values, which made her a natural fit,” says Mariota Essery, the company’s executive creative director. “Chiney is blazing her own trail of entrepreneurship with broadcast, basketball and now business, and is dedicated to the mission of opening up opportunities for women worldwide. Additionally, Chiney is a self-proclaimed foodie, so the creative direction of the spot really resonated with her.”

Of course, DoorDash’s very existence depends on restaurants achieving positive trajectories, and the brand has shown its willingness to serve as a booster stage before. Notable efforts include last year’s program matching closed eateries with “ghost kitchen” operators to keep local businesses alive, and a zippy animated tour of Canada’s diverse “flavorhoods.”

CREDITS

DoorDash Creative Studio
Director of Creative Studio: Jennifer Richardi
Executive Creative Director: Mariota Essery
Senior Creative Lead, Art Director: Ben Bellayuto
Senior Creative Lead, Copywriter: Driscoll Reid
Art Director: Sarah Saltonstall
Executive Producer: Peter Ostella
Producer: Jeremy Lewis

DoorDash Marketing
VP, Marketing: Kofi Amoo-Gottfried
Senior Director, Consumer Marketing: David Bornoff
Director, Partnership Marketing: Vanessa Carr
Senior Manager, Partnership Marketing: Ariel Gaylinn
Senior Manager, Partnership Marketing: Kelly Lee
Director, Offline Performance Marketing: Mike Lorenzen
Manager, Consumer Growth Marketing: Helen Pfeiffer
Sr. Associate, Consumer Growth Marketing: Pooja Pandey

Production Company: SMUGGLER
Director: Brian Beletic
Executive Producers: Patrick John Milling-Smith & Brian Carmody
Executive Producer: Sue Yeon Ahn
COO: Andrew Colon
Head of Production: Alex Hughes
Producer: Brian Quinlan
Director of Photography: Larkin Seiple
Production Designer: Anthony Gasparro

Work Editorial
Editor: Biff Butler
Assistant Editor: Will Nguyen
Executive Producer: Marlo Baird
Head of Production: Brandee Probasco

Lime Studios
Sound Design: Michael Anastasi
Audio Mixer: Zac Fisher
Audio Assistant: Michael Baran
Executive Producer: Susie Boyajan

VFX: Parliament

Color: Primary
Executive Producer: Thatcher Peterson
Colorist: Daniel de Vue

Music Studio: Lightning Studios
Composer: Seth Olinsky
Additional Sound Design: Seth Olinsky
Music Producer: Cord Amato
Music Editor: Justin Miller

Sports Agency Partners:
OneTeam Partners
Disrupt The Game