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Esera Tuaolo Lands
National Television Campaign
Tuaolo is the centerpiece of a new television campaign for Chili’s, a national chain of restaurants that is the centerpiece of Brinker International. The commercial is part of Chili’s “Tastemonials” campaign series. “It shows people who are not professional entertainers,” says Chili’s public relations representative, Louis Adams, “expressing their love for Chili’s through their performance.” This particular installment features Tuaolo – 30 pounds lighter than his HBO Real Sports appearance eight months ago – sporting a beaming smile, playing a ukulele, and singing about Chili’s Hawaiian steak. The setting is quintessentially Hawaiian – complete with the big Hawaiian centerpiece from the NFL. The conceit of the campaign series is that Tuaolo is not a professional entertainer. His resume says otherwise. On top of singing the National Anthem at more sporting events than Whitney Houston, Esera has a commercial CD titled, “One Man’s Island,” has appeared on several NFL music compilations, and has no less than a half dozen theatrical performances under his belt. It was during an audition for one of those theatrical productions that he first heard about the Chili’s promotion. In St. Paul to audition for the 70’s send up, 8-Track, last January, someone in the casting office told Tuaolo that Chili’s was looking for a Hawaiian person to use for their upcoming commercial. Tuaolo knew Chili’s well, having eaten there countless times while traveling with teammates during his playing years in the NFL. “It must be a jock thing,” Tuaolo says. “I love the ribs.” “I went to the audition with my ukulele, jeans and a tight shirt, and I sang the Baby Back ribs commercial song.” That song has become one of Chili’s signatures, with ‘N Sync performing it on a desert island in a commercial the premiered two years ago. “They said they wanted something different.” What they didn’t expect is to get an openly gay former NFL player. Adams says that Tuaolo’s sexual orientation never entered the decision-making process. And, given the campaign’s theme of average people expressing themselves, they didn’t realize until very late in the process that they had a former professional athlete on their hands. In the commercial, Tuaolo isn’t billed as a former NFL player, or a gay person. He is simply labeled: “Esera – Retired Athlete.” “He’s not a celebrity in the context of this commercial,” Adams said. “He’s just Esera – from Hawaii and talented.” Asked if someone’s sexual orientation would ever affect the company’s decision to work with them in a marketing campaign, Adams was adamant: “No way. It runs contrary to our company policy. We don’t discriminate on any basis, in the hiring of any employees, in serving customers, in any capacity.” Michael Wilke, from ComercialCloset.org, sees Chili’s handling of the campaign as a solid message. “It is encouraging to see that he has gotten an endorsement so soon after his coming out process. “ Certainly other closeted professional athletes should take notice. While Tuaolo’s sexuality seems to not have played a part in him getting the role, Chili’s is not shying away from the issue of his sexuality. Given his experience with the company, Tuaolo isn’t surprised. “Everybody who was involved treated me first class,” Tuaolo says. “They were really interested in my family. I showed them pictures of my kids and my husband.” “I loved Chili’s before, but now I love the company even more.” |
