Subway takes Michael Phelps off the shelf
January 5, 2010 |15:30 | Gossips By : Team X
Michael Phelps is back pitching Subway in a new advertisement that takes the chain's ubiquitous "$5 foot-long" campaign underwater.
The ad's timing suggests that Subway hopes America will remember Phelps' accomplishments in light of the Winter Olympics next month and that we've had enough time to forget the paparazzi-style photo of Phelps holding a bong that made waves in 2008.
On one hand it's a mini litmus test for what could happen with Tiger Woods and potential sponsors. On the other, a 15-second commercial extension of a well-developed ad campaign is difficult to consider ground-breaking or edgy.
Whether America cares or not is a good question. The nature of our news cycle means that celebrities can maintain their value as pitch men because the only scandal that tends to matter is the last one.
And perhaps the photo of Phelps holding a bong could even have helped Subway -- it's not a big leap to imagine pot smokers loving Subway sandwiches. Jack In The Box seems to have embraced a similar idea recently with a pair of apparent stoners attempting to navigate the drive-thru.
Anyway, no matter how you feel about Phelps, Subway is running a national promotion -- giving away ten $50 gift cards each week for the next three weeks via its newly launched Facebook page. And $50 is enough to satisfy anybody's munchies.
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