As the beloved animated spokesbirds of DIRECTV’s commercial campaign, pigeons Bobby and Frank (voiced by Steve Buscemi and Henry Winkler) have become a signature part of the brand’s identity. For this social extension, we carried that through in a fresh and engaging way—transforming their animation into puppet form as hosts of their own podcast.
With pro football as the key value proposition of DIRECTV, the goal was to create a culturally relevant and highly shareable piece of content that resonated with sports fans. Podcasts are one of the most engaging formats today, making it the perfect creative framework for this extension.
When Deion Sanders joined the campaign, we knew we had to incorporate Coach Prime as a call-in to their sports podcast, and wanted to lean into his personality in a light hearted way in a way that might naturally occur.
Above all, the goal was to reinforce DIRECTV’s positioning at the forefront of sports entertainment by creating a fun, innovative execution that met audiences where they are and engaged them in a fresh way.
To execute the vision of the pigeons hosting their own podcast, we combined VFX, practical effects, and expert puppeteering to create a seamless and engaging experience. Every element—from the tiny props designed specifically for the miniature hosts to the carefully choreographed puppet performances—had to be meticulously crafted to ensure a polished final product. The result was a visually dynamic piece that blended technical precision with comedic charm.
We also knew we wanted to leverage Coach Prime’s unmistakable voice as a call-in guest to the podcast, allowing for a seamless and engaging integration that still felt big and impactful, proving that star power doesn't always require a physical presence. By seamlessly weaving Coach Prime’s voice into the narrative, we delivered a fun and innovative piece of content that resonated with football fans.
To further enhance the authenticity of the podcast concept, we created an original jingle, adding another layer of polish and entertainment value. Every detail, from the set design to the audio mixing, was carefully considered to ensure the piece felt like a real, yet delightfully absurd, football podcast. This approach reinforced DIRECTV’s position at the forefront of sports entertainment, meeting audiences where they are and engaging them in new and unexpected ways.
This project was a success because it brought together innovative production techniques, cultural relevance, and strategic execution to create a compelling social extension of DIRECTV’s campaign. By building an entire set using VFX and practical effects, we were able to bring the pigeon hosts to life in a visually dynamic way that felt polished and immersive.
Another key measure of success was the enthusiastic response from our client. The puppets became such a standout element of the campaign that the client wanted to continue using them beyond this execution, further solidifying their role as brand assets.
This campaign, and this Coach Prime episode in particular, raised the client’s engagement rate by 510%, demonstrating the power of this creative approach in driving audience interaction and impact.
By merging innovative production, cultural relevance, and strategic talent integration, this execution not only elevated DIRECTV’s sports entertainment presence but also delivered a unique and memorable experience that kept audiences engaged and wanting more.
