Phil Mickelson’s 2018 Mizzen+Main advertisement became a viral sensation by swapping golf swings for dance moves. The commercial’s success was only possible because of Mickelson’s wife, Amy.

The performance shirt brand, which signed Mickelson as a part-owner, wanted a unique way to highlight its product's stretch and comfort. The commercial came to life because Amy Mickelson unexpectedly revealed her husband's hidden talent to corporate executives, as reported by ESPN.

"Phil can do The Worm!"

CEO Kevin Lavelle initially pitched a concept where Mickelson would dodge golf balls while dancing to Ghostland Observatory's upbeat track "Vibrate." He worried the golf legend would doubt his sanity.

Everything changed during that meeting when Amy heard the song and immediately burst into laughter. She then showed home videos proving Mickelson's dancing skills, sealing the commercial's fate.

Mickelson admitted he had to Google the band, but embraced the fun after years of performing dance moves privately. He noted it took time to get comfortable dancing on national television.

For filming, 2,000 square feet of golf turf were arranged in the warehouse location. The director of the video, Richard Ross, mentioned that his wife, Layne, choreographed the dance and taught it effortlessly.

The entire commercial took only 90 minutes to shoot, and everyone on the set cheered for Phil's performance upon watching it. The advertisement gained much popularity, reaching more than 422,000 views in just 24 hours.

Phil Mickelson is Part of a History of Athletic Showmanship 

From Tiger Woods' juggling of golf balls for Nike to John Daly's endorsement of his flamboyant Loudmouth clothing line, top golfers have often been a part of quirky ad campaigns.

Like past campaigns where top athletes knocked off their usually serious demeanor, Mickelson committed to the task and chose to connect with his audience humorously.

The video’s humor drove immediate engagement regardless of Mickelson’s actual dancing ability

"I'll do private (lessons) for the right price," Mickelson joked to the AP after the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational round in 2018.

This ad was a landmark example of successful sports marketing by an athlete. It showed that breaking the conventional golfer persona could create a lasting legacy.

What do you think of professional golfers connecting with their audience through fun advertisements? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Abhishek Sharma

Edited by

Surjo Ray