Jan 23

Derrick Coleman Writes Amazing Letter to Hearing-Impaired Girl Who Liked His Ad

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Derrick Coleman's recent ad for Duracell made him one of the most admired players in the NFL, and with one handwritten letter, he just proved he was worthy of all the praise.

This week, a father of hearing-impaired twin girls tweeted a letter written by one of his daughters to Coleman, a Seattle Seahawk whose lifelong struggle with deafness was chronicled in an incredible TV spot from Saatchi & Saatchi, New York.

Instead of simply tweeting a quick reply, Coleman handwrote a letter and then shared a photo of it with the father, saying: "Your girls are awesome! Read them my letter back when you can! Thank you for the support! Means a lot!"

The story has quickly escalated Coleman's reputation even further, and this morning the girls and their father were featured on Good Morning America. Check out the letters and original ad below.

Via Reddit.


    



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Jan 13

Deaf NFL Player Derrick Coleman Tells His Story in Terrific Duracell Ad

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As huge of an advertising juggernaut as the NFL is, commercials starring NFL players often feel interchangeable. Here, though, is a great piece of work from Duracell starring Derrick Coleman, the 23-year-old Seattle Seahawks fullback who happens to the be the first legally deaf player to be part of an NFL offense.

Bravely narrating the ad himself, Coleman tells his own story of being picked on as a kid, being told he could never make it—and being passed over by the NFL draft. "They didn't call my name, told me it was over," he says. "But I've been deaf since I was 3, so I didn't listen." That's a great line. The tagline: "Trust the power within."

Coleman seems enamored with that line. He tells the Sporting News of his Duracell deal: "They came to me, and said they liked my story, and I said OK, I want to join up. I just hope to inspire people, especially children, to trust the power within and achieve their dreams."

Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi, New York.

CREDITS
Client: Duracell

Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi, New York
Executive Creative Director: Peter Moore Smith
Creative Directors: Garrett Jones, Billy Leyhe
Chief Production Officer: Tanya LeSieur
Director of Content Production: John Doris
Senior Producer: Danny Miller
Senior Art Director: Nathan Wigglesworth
Senior Copywriter: Lincoln Boehm

Production Company: Park Pictures, Los Angeles
Director: A.G. Rojas
Director of Photography: Linus Sandgren
Executive Producer: Mary Ann Marino
Line Producer: Gabrielle Yuro

Editing House: Whitehouse Post, Los Angeles
Editor: Shane Reid
Assistant Editor: Keith Hamm
Producer: Jonlyn Williams
Executive Producer: Kristin Branstetter

Sound Design: 740 Sound Design, Los Angeles
Sound Designer, Mixer: Rommel Molina
Executive Producer: Kate Vadnais

End Animation: Mass Market, New York
Executive Producer: Louisa Cartwright


    

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Jan 13

Thanks to Duracell, a Deaf Seattle Seahawks Player Is the NFL’s Feel-Good Story of the Year

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Derrick Coleman isn’t exactly an NFL superstar. But, thanks to a new campaign for Duracell and by helping his team, the Seattle Seahawks, earn a place in next weekend’s NFC Championship game, he may soon become a household name.

From Saatchi & Saatchi NY and Park Pictures director AG Rojas comes the above “Trust Your Power” spot, which in just two days has already netted 1.6 million plays on YouTube. Following Coleman’s career from his days as a young boy being mocked for his hearing aid through going undrafted out of college, it’s a well-told story of overcoming adversity and, remarkably, ties Coleman’s success to Duracell in a not-so-terrible way.

In case you’re wondering, the spot doesn’t mention that while Coleman went undrafted after college, he was picked in 2012 by the Seahawks and made his NFL playing debut earlier this year. The highlight of which so far was the above TD scored on Monday Night Football last month, which itself is accidentally symbolic of the unlikelihood of Coleman’s career. If this Duracell spot is playing during the commercial breaks, it will be downright impossible to root for anyone other than the Seahawks to win the Super Bowl this year.

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