New England Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady Joins NFL Greats by Being Featured In 2nd Commercial Proclaiming 'I'm Going Back To Disney World!'
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady made history Sunday night, becoming the youngest quarterback to lead his team to two Super Bowl titles. Immediately following the game, he also joined an elite group of NFL greats by starring in his second Disney commercial and shouting "I'm going back to Disney World!"
Brady, who was also the featured player following his team's Super Bowl XXXVI win in 2002, joins NFL legends Joe Montana, Emmitt Smith and John Elway as championship game superstars who have been featured twice in the famous "What's Next" ad campaign.
With three touchdown passes among 32 completions for 354 yards, Brady once again led his team through a storybook season to a championship and fairytale finish at Walt Disney World Resort. The Patriots finished the season with 15 consecutive wins including Super Bowl XXXVIII.
Just hours after leading the Patriots to a 32-29 victory over the Carolina Panthers, claiming the Super Bowl MVP award and shouting a version of the famous words "I'm going to Disney World," Brady was to be whisked from Houston to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida for a whirlwind of celebrations in his honor.
Brady's appearance marked the 34th episode of Disney's famous "What's Next" commercial.
"With his unbelievable accomplishments and determination, Tom Brady epitomizes the spirit of the 'What's Next' commercials," said Ken Potrock, senior vice president of Walt Disney World Alliance Marketing. "We select players based on success on the field and a Cinderella-type story."
Since 1987, the "What's Next" commercial has been an oft-repeated moment of celebration. Phil Simms of the New York Giants became the focus of the first commercial following his team's triumph in Super Bowl XXI. Simms, the Giants' quarterback, didn't realize it, but he was introducing an American catchphrase when he shouted, "I'm going to Disney World!"
The commercial continued through the years as standouts from Super Bowls, Major League Baseball, the NBA, NHL, Olympics, World Cup and more have been featured in 34 commercials in which they responded to the question, "What are you going to do next?" Icons of professional sports - Michael Jordan, Barry Bonds, Emmitt Smith, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Joe Montana, Troy Aikman, Jerry Rice, John Elway, Terrell Davis, Mark McGwire and Kurt Warner among them - have been featured.
A common misconception is that the MVP of the Super Bowl automatically is chosen for the "What's Next" spot. In fact, the commercial has featured many non-MVPs, bringing an additional element of surprise to the campaign as players and fans alike wonder "who's next" to tell the world "What's Next." Seven of the 18 Super Bowl spots have featured non-MVPs.
The honor also has been shared by several Super Bowl teammates - San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice and quarterback Steve Young in 1995, Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis and quarterback John Elway in 1999, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Brad Johnson and head coach Jon Gruden in last year's championship game.
The Super Bowl remains the most popular "What's Next" commercial, featuring players from 18 straight NFL championship games.
Typically, there are versions of the commercial produced for both the Disneyland Resort in California and the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. With a dose of Disney magic, the commercials are seen only hours after the Super Bowl, which many times coincides with the featured player's (or players') visit to Disneyland or Walt Disney World the next day.
In addition to appearing on televisions nationwide, this year's spot will also be featured on disneyworld.com and ESPN.com. ESPN.com will highlight the commercial via "ESPN Motion," the site's newest video innovation.
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