Footballer Micah Parsons Helps Dave & Buster’s Fans Unlearn Adult Obligations

Dave & Buster’s has unveiled a fun fall campaign to highlight its Watch Experience and a new, limited $5 Bites menu. The campaign - 'Trade for Dave & Buster’s' directed by David Shafei of World War 7 (WW7) - features Dallas Cowboys star linebacker Micah Parsons helping D&B fans unlearn adulthood by covering their adult obligations so they can spend their days watching sports and eating their favourite Bites.

In two :30 spots - Gam Gam and Conference - Parsons takes one for the team with deadpan humour as he’s shown visiting the grandmother of a D&B guest and sitting in for another couple’s parent-teacher conference. The spots cut to the guests eating and watching sports at D&B with a voiceover urging viewers to 'make the trade for $5 Bites.'  

The campaign, which includes two :30’s and corresponding :15’s, will run across linear TV, CTV, Video (YouTube, Twitch, Roku, LG, Samsung), and Meta. Further extensions of the campaign will continue to roll out throughout the fall.

Created in partnership with Mother in New York, the campaign builds on Dave & Buster’s new brand platform, “You Know You Want To,” aimed at helping adults across America leave behind the responsibilities of adulthood and do what they really want to do: Go to Dave & Buster’s with their crew. 

"Adulting is demanding. When the ultimate bliss of free time presents itself, we find ourselves doing things expected of us that we don't want to do, which we illustrate in the hero spot - Gam Gam. We love our grandmas, but tough decisions must be made during peak Fall sports season. Subbing in Dallas Cowboys' star linebacker Micah Parsons to hang out with Gam Gam perfectly encapsulates the campaign's sentiment," said Matt Vitou, creative director at Mother in New York. 

In May, Mother created the first campaign under the new positioning called 'The Dave & Buster’s Method,' featuring fictional spokesperson James Flag sharing the philosophy behind The Method.