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One of the NFL’s star quarterbacks has a brand new name, courtesy of Hulu.
The Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts becomes Jalen “Hulu Has Live Sports” in the streaming service’s latest iteration of its live sports marketing campaign.
A new 30-second spot starring the quarterback will debut today on social media and sports digital properties, including ESPN, Bleacher Report and Sports Illustrated, before launching on broadcast on Sept. 7 during the Thursday Night Football kickoff.
Created in partnership with agency Translation, the creative shows Hurts discovering his last name is actually an abbreviation for Hulu Has Live Sports. Fans quickly get on board, and Hurts proudly shows off his new identity with rebranded jerseys and credit cards.
The spot, “Word Travels Fast,” is a continuation of the streamer’s ongoing “Hulu Has Live Sports” campaign, which markets its Hulu + Live TV SVOD service.
“I’ve seen the pieces that [Hulu] has put out over the years, and I thought it would be pretty cool to be part of that,” Hurts told Adweek.
A self-described “detail-oriented” person, Hurts compared creating a marketing campaign to his role as a quarterback.
“The detail they have, the quarterback position is one that requires a lot of that. It’s always cool to see it from another side and a different profession,” Hurts said. “I’m excited to see the fans and their engagement and obviously get them watching Hulu. That’s the whole point of this.”
The campaign will look to boost Hulu’s already robust numbers. The streamer ended 2023’s second quarter with 48.3 million subscribers. Its Live TV + SVOD offering, the target of the campaign, has 4.3 million subscribers.
Adding to the roster
The campaign with Hulu is just the latest for Hurts, who signed a deal with Nike’s Jordan brand last week.