As we aim to connect and foster fandom among the next generation - the most diverse generation to date - the Super Bowl is our biggest stage to do so, as 25% of 12-24 y.o. who tuned in for Super Bowl LVII didn’t watch another NFL game last season. As an audience who sees football as exclusive and traditional, we set out to challenge these misperceptions by celebrating football’s growth around the globe on our biggest stage: the Super Bowl.

And when we say ‘next generation’ we don’t just mean in the U.S., we mean internationally. As this was our first international Super Bowl campaign, it would be running in five countries: the U.S., U.K., Germany, Mexico, and Brazil. Leaving us with the challenge to tell a specific story about the globalization of football that could universally resonate with people around the world.

So we created the NFL’s first-ever international Super Bowl spot, called “Born to Play”, that transported fans into the imagination of our headliner, Kwesi, a young boy with a dream to play quarterback in the NFL. We follow him on a lively, fantastical chase that marries kid-like wonder with the real vibrance of Accra, Ghana. We see what he sees: Kwesi captaining an action-packed game of street-ball, with NFL players such as Justin Jefferson and Saquon Barkley as his teammates, causing fictional havoc in a live market while the rest of Accra looks on in bemusement. With a little help from British-Nigerian two-time Super Bowl champion Osi Umenyiora, Kwesi ultimately realizes that his dream of becoming a football player is more real than he could’ve ever imagined.

As football goes global, so do the dreams of playing at the highest level. Young boys and girls everywhere aren’t just playing in their respective tackle and/or flag football leagues, they’re dreaming of playing for the NFL one day. And every year we get the opportunity to bring an inspiring, energetic and joyful message to the world through our biggest stage: the Super Bowl, so this year we wanted to use our stage to celebrate that anyone, anywhere, can make their football dream a reality. Because if international players like Efe Obada from Nigeria, Jordan Mailata from Australia, and George Karlaftis from Greece, have taught us nothing else, it is that it doesn’t matter where you’re born, as long as you’re born to play.

In the creation of ‘Born to Play’, the role of casting was pivotal to authentically bringing our story to life. The journey commenced with a continent-wide search for our story's hero, Kwesi. Casting for this role extended beyond professional actors, delving into local schools and football programs. This commitment to authenticity extended to the entire cast - embracing diversity and ensuring West African representation became a definitive aspect of our casting philosophy. The bustling market scene features a unique blend of casted talent and real vendors. Even the football players at the conclusion are drawn from the NFL Africa Camp, further reinforcing our commitment to real stories and experiences. The inclusion of cameos, notably that of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, an NFL player with Ghanaian roots, adds an extra layer of significance. His appearance, adorned in traditional Kente cloth, symbolizes the fusion of tradition and contemporary achievements.

‘Born to Play’ ranked #5 on USA Today’s AdMeter, received five-stars from AdAge, deemed the #1 most effective ad at the Super Bowl by Marketing Dive, and considered the ‘Best of the Bunch’ by the New York Times.

Beyond the accolades, the work resonated globally with the majority of gen pop viewers finding the spot to be inspiring (58%), powerful (42%) and emotional (37%). The spot also garnered big lifts in overall League perceptions; we saw increases in the NFL as global (+38%), approachable (+38%) and inclusive (+30%), among Gen Pop. And it inspired people - of all ages and backgrounds - to learn more about football (+11%) and piqued interest in playing football among 13-17 year olds (+20%). While the work continues, this spot helped reposition the NFL, and the game of football at large, in a more modern and inviting light that all people can see themselves in.