Hasta La Creative!

For their latest campaign for Coke Zero,  Zulu Alpha Kilo, along with social media agency Dare, found real hockey stories online using social media and retold them with Tampa Bay Lightning star Steven Stamkos. The newly released second film in the series, “The Trade,” tells Shawn Warford‘s story of being traded from the team his father coached.

At the beginning of the spot, Stamkos (as Warford) enters his father’s office and is told he is being traded. “You can’t trade me, I’m your son” he replies, followed by an annoying and completely unnecessary voiceover intrusion proclaiming “That’s going to be an awkward car ride home.” Between the terrible acting and gratuitous VO, this is where, if I wasn’t paid to write about it, I would stop watching this ad. To be fair, it does pick up a little bit from here, thanks largely to Bob the zamboni driver.

Bob explains why Kevin Wheeler gives the team exactly what they’re looking for and is the perfect trade. He goes on to enthusiastically extoll the virtues of the team’s new addition at length. A fed up Stamkos asks for the new jersey, which is when the spot slows down to tell us this is his “Moment Zero.” In the first game with his new team, he goes on to score five goals, each dedicated to exacting revenge for a different moment his father pissed him off.  ”It’s a moment he wouldn’t trade for anything,” says the annoying narrator in what is supposed to be the payoff. At least they (eventually) used Stamkos for what he’s good at (scoring goals) after what felt like an eternity of Stamkos struggling through what he’s terrible at (acting). I understand and appreciate the social engagement the “real hockey stories” angle brings to the table, but next time let’s have a higher ratio of hockey to stories. Or get a hockey player that can act, if such a person exists. Credits and the first installment of the “Moment Zero” campaign after the jump. continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.