NBC is leveraging its approach of blending the Olympics with celebrity charm and pop culture to build excitement for the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Games in Italy next year.
This time around, the network has enlisted Italian American comedians Ray Romano and Sebastian Maniscalco to be featured in a light-hearted promotional effort. According to NBC, the new commercial will debut during the network’s Kentucky Derby broadcast this Saturday.
In this upcoming segment, Romano and Maniscalco will be seen atop the picturesque Italian Alps, equipped with snowboards, as they attempt to delve into discussions about exhilarating winter sports like skiing, snowboarding, and luge. Their conversations, however, humorously veer off course as they become engrossed in their mutual affection for Italian cuisine.
Maniscalco humorously noted in a statement, “Ray and I joined forces for the Olympics – a couple of Italian guys trying to understand winter sports. Let’s just say, we thought ‘luge’ was a type of pasta.”
The commercial was filmed in Los Angeles, where the illusion of a mountaintop landscape was crafted by Industrial Light & Magic, a visual effects company established by George Lucas, recognized recently for its contributions to “The Mandalorian.”
NBC believes Romano and Maniscalco were the perfect duo to kickstart the buzz around the forthcoming Winter Games. Joseph Lee, senior vice president of creative marketing, sports, and entertainment at NBC, described them as “instantly recognizable, deeply beloved, and naturally funny.” This strategy aligns with the network’s continued efforts to blend the allure of entertainers with athletic events.
Previously, the network has successfully harnessed similar initiatives, featuring well-known personalities like Snoop Dogg, Megan Thee Stallion, Simone Biles, Peyton Manning, Cardi B, SZA, and Lily Collins in its promotional campaigns.
“We’re implementing the same tactic across the campaign: combining entertainment figures with the Olympics—and frequently with Olympians—in enjoyable, unanticipated ways,” Lee explained. “It’s our method to ensure the Games remain culturally significant and truly entertaining.”