Why Capital One Picked Samuel L. Jackson for New Card Ads

When an action hero takes time from his busy schedule of wrangling snakes on a plane and defeating squadrons of supervillains to make a product recommendation, people pay attention.

That's the theory behind Capital One's (COF) new advertisements for its Quicksilver Cash Rewards card featuring actor Samuel L. Jackson. The spots rely on Jackson's authoritative reputation and no-nonsense delivery to portray Quicksilver cards as simple, reliable and gimmick-free.

The first in a series of three Quicksilver ads featuring Jackson debuted this week during Monday Night Football.

Standing on a platform before a plain blue screen, Jackson launches into a rapid-fire tribute to Quicksilver's merits. "It's the no games, no messing around, no earning-limit-having do-I-look-like-I'm-joking heavyweight champion of the world," Jackson declares, looking quite serious indeed.

The ad even manages to sneak in a hint of Jackson's tough-guy profanity. Quicksilver cards offer "1.5% cash-back on every purchase, everywhere, every damn day," Jackson concludes, fixing his gaze directly at the camera.

The minimalist spots are a marked departure from other Capital One ads featuring stars like Alec Baldwin and Jimmy Fallon, which tend to feature more playful scenarios. In a spot promoting the Venture rewards card, Baldwin wanders into a Viking family reunion. Fallon races through impressions of hair-metal bands, The Beatles and doo-wop singers in a Capital One promotion for its Cash Rewards card, which Quicksilver replaced in June.

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