Delta State ‘Fighting Okra’ Mascot Bad Performance Evaluation In New ESPN ‘This Is SportsCenter’ Ad

ESPN SportsCenter anchors Elle Duncan and Kevin Negandhi meet with Delta State’s ‘Fighting Okra’ college mascot to discuss its poor attitude in its latest ‘This Is SportsCenter’ spot which is structured as an employee performance evaluation.

The latest commercial in the sports broadcaster’s long running series, created by agency Arts & Letters, sees the two anchors share how the mascot’s co-workers aren’t happy with its attitude – outlining how fellow employees describe it as ‘moody’, ‘negative’ and ‘a buzz kill’. The Fighting Okra’s never-changing face says it all.

Titled ‘Performance Evaluation’, the ad debuted on air during the College Football Playoff National Championship between No1 Georgia and No 3 TCU on Monday, 9 January on ESPN.

“Sports are filled with so many interesting, unforgettable characters,” said Arts & Letters Creative Scott Hayes. “It’s great when “This is SportsCenter” can introduce more fans to a character that might not be as known, especially on college football’s biggest night.”

The campaign was created by a team at Arts & Letters Creative Co which included Executive Creative Director Charles Hodges, Head Of Production Temma Shoaf, Strategy Director Andy Grayson, Creative Director Andrew Kong, Creative Director Nj Placentra, Creative Director Molly Jamison, Creatives Scott Hayes and Chris Kim, Executive Producer Calleen Colburn, Producers Andrea Rodriguez and Austin Butler, Business Directors Lenora Cushing, Brenda Schneider and Hill Shore, plus Business Affairs Manager Jennifer Kmetzsch and Lauren Lawson.

Production was handled by O Positive with Director Jim Jenkins, Executive Producer Marc Grill, Director Of Photography Vince Vennitti and Production Designer Toni Barton, plus post production and VFX by Company 3.

Comment

The ‘This Is SportsCenter’ ad series began back in 1994: check out some of the campaign’s archive highlights below.