Kelly Slater is still full of surprises. The 11-time champ popped up in a Kona Brewing ad spot this week, virtually out of nowhere. And I gotta say, he looks pretty comfortable slangin’ that Big Wave Golden Ale. Slater, who of course has had beer affiliations before, deploys the artful pun (see dad joke) in the well-written spot.
“We asked our friend Kelly Slater to demonstrate how to catch a Big Wave,” says a pair of Hawaiian Kona representatives as they chuck a can at Mr. Slater, who nabs it out of the air before responding, “You gotta catch it before it breaks.” Solid, solid, dad joke (coming from someone who often fails miserably at pun-tificating).
The real stars of Kona’s campaign, the “Bruddahs,” who appear in the spot alongside the champ, have been gaining traction for the brand over the last several months in a series of ads thanks to their easy authenticity. They’re Hawaiians David Bell and Blake “Brutus” LaBenz. The spots featuring the “Bruddahs” first went live during March Madness this year.
For an update on which alcohol companies are supporting surf athletes and entities, read here.
