Manning shoots Gatorade ad with Yao, Jeter, 'Jimmy'

http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/9/021762-7959-036.html

Yes, Jimmy can come out and play with Peyton Manning, Yao Ming and Derek Jeter.

A new Gatorade commercial targeting younger consumers involves a boy whose playmates are Manning, Yao and Jeter. Each of the superstars visits Jimmy's home and asks to play with the boy, who throws a football with the Indianapolis Colts' quarterback, shoots baskets with the Houston Rockets' rookie sensation from China and hits and throws a baseball with the New York Yankees' shortstop.

"Oh, hi Peyton," Jimmy's mother says, answering the door.

"Jimmy," she says, calling upstairs, "Peyton is here."

The hook is that this fantasy is nothing out of the ordinary.

"It's like no big deal," said Tom Fox, vice president of Gatorade sports marketing. "It's like an everyday occurrence."

The commercial was shot over two days last week in Orlando, Fla., and is scheduled for an April debut. While Manning had several lines that may be used, Yao had only one.

Can Jimmy play?" Yao asks.

But the person Yao wanted to spend time with was Manning. He eagerly asked, "Please sit down," when Manning arrived.

"Peyton looked a little surprised by that," Fox said.

Yao's agent and his agent's wife are passionate fans of Manning, who signed a football for them. So while the Chinese couple was perfectly content in the company of the 7-5 Yao, one of the more sought-after celebrities, their demeanor changed when they saw Manning.

"They were all excited," Fox said.

During a break, Manning showed Yao how to grip and throw a football.

"They were slinging it back and forth," Fox said.