KFed to star in Nationwide Super Bowl ad

Is the world coming to an end? Britney Spears has been called "too much of a train wreck" to appear in a Super Bowl ad for the NFL, who opted for Paris Hilton instead.

And now, Nationwide is going to have K-Fed appear in its Super Bowl spot this year.

"No one has personified 'Life Comes at You Fast' in the media better than Kevin Federline," said Steven Schreibman, vice president of advertising and brand management for Nationwide. "We're using humor and a celebrity to get people’s attention and cut through the clutter."

Nationwide will introduce the 30-second spot on its Web site Jan. 29, and air it during the third quarter of the Super Bowl on Feb. 4. It will continue to be shown along with other new "Life Comes at You Fast" spots in 45 regional markets.
[snip]
In the ad, Federline is seen starring in a rap video, surrounded by beautiful women and expensive clothing, jewelry and cars. It then cuts to him working at a fast-food restaurant.

USA Today's article covering the news also contained some choice quotes:

Nationwide ad chief Steven Schreibman thinks divulging ad details now will add to the buzz for this commercial. "There's all this pent-up interest in Kevin Federline and his life — pre-Britney and post-Britney and where he's going now."

There is?

Revealing at least elements of an offbeat game ad can work, says David Schwab, head of celebrity consulting at marketing company Octagon. "(Advertisers) all get the same post-publicity if the spot is memorable. Why not build buzz in advance by giving clues or the name of the celebrity?"

Didn't we decide for the most part that all the pre-game ad buzz killed a lot of interet of the spots?

Federline, who worked at Pizza Hut as a teen, thinks viewers will appreciate the ad's self-deprecating humor. "It's perfect for Nationwide, and it really works for me. I try not to take myself too seriously."

Nationwide has used self-effacing humor before on Super Sunday. Its game ad last year showed romance-novel-cover hunk Fabio morphing into an old man. A 2005 game ad airing regionally showed rapper MC Hammer's belongings being repossessed after his real-life bankruptcy made headlines.

Nationwide won't say how much K-Fed is being paid. When asked about his finances, Federline said only, "I'm OK. … I'll be good, no matter what."

At least Federline will be in good company with greats like MC Hammer and Fabio. Oh wait, they were at the end of their careers when they did these spots...not at the start (or what they claimed to be the start). Poor K-Fed.

See the Fabio spot here:

See the MC Hammer spot here: