DirecTV turns satellite dishes into ‘bird ballparks’ with Randy Johnson

Dive Brief:

DirecTV has partnered with baseball legend Randy Johnson for “Bird Ballparks,” an extension of its recent “For The Birds” campaign, per details shared with Marketing Dive.
To promote the ability for consumers to access DirecTV without a satellite dish, the effort turns dishes into bird sanctuaries in a nod to the iconic moment when Johnson accidentally killed a bird with a pitch during a spring training game in 2001.
Created by TBWA\Chiat\Day LA, the campaign includes a hero spot that is running in shorter versions on digital and social. Consumers can enter a chance to win a bird ballpark or a “Millet Mullet” — bird feed in the shape of the haircut Johnson sported during his playing days — via a microsite.

Dive Insight:

DirecTV is extending a “For The Birds” effort that launched in February to promote the TV provider’s satellite-free streaming options. While the original ads tapped Steve Buscemi and Henry Winkler to voice pigeons upset at the change — which means fewer satellite dishes for them to perch on — “Bird Ballparks” hawks the service by referencing a memorable moment in pro baseball history.

A 90-second hero spot stars MLB Hall of Famer Johnson as he heads to a workshop to turn an old satellite dish into the eponymous bird sanctuary, which features a miniature ballpark, a tiny statue of Johnson, “fowl” poles for birds to perch on and a phone holder to ease streaming. The spot also shows off the Millet Mullet, which turns the grain into a mullet-like wig. Consumers can enter for a chance to win either novelty item at a microsite that could help the brand collect valuable first-party data.

“When baseball’s feathered fans try to catch a game, bad things happen,” Johnson says in the spot, nodding to an infamous moment during a 2001 spring training game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants during which Johnson accidentally killed a bird that flew into his pitch.

The push, which will air during a series between the Diamondbacks and Giants, looks to promote DirecTV’s Gemini streaming service devices that launched last year. The devices include a sports-focused hub and an aggregation tool that brings together content from streaming providers including Amazon Prime, Max and Netflix. The streaming offering is crucial for DirecTV as it looks to engage with consumers who continue to cut the cord — and ditch the dish — in exchange for a proliferation of streaming and connected TV options.

DirecTV in recent years has actively advertised around pop culture and sports. The company last year tapped Brian Cox as an “Overly Direct Spokesperson” who nodded to the actor’s role on “Succession."”It also teamed with Kansas City Chiefs stars Travis Kelce and Chris Jones for Spotify content meant to “Sack the Sunday Scaries.” Back in 2022, Johnson co-starred alongside fellow MLB legends Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz and Ken Griffey Jr. in DirecTV’s “GOATbusters” campaign.