For the first time ever, shopping platform Rakuten will be airing a spot during the Super Bowl, with no less a person than Ted Lasso's leading lady herself, Hannah Waddingham as the star. The spot, entitled "High Stakes" sees Waddingham's elegant high-roller brought low by a Rakuten shopper, who uses the perks earned on the site to win a high stakes poker game.
Fans got a sneak peek at the spot — which was filmed at historic Hatfield House — back in January, when Rakuten released a 15-second clip of Waddingham laughing manically into both a handheld and a tabletop mirror, while occasionally pausing to clear her throat. The video concluded with a tease to "see who gets the last laugh" followed by the date of the big game.
It's clear in the spot that Waddingham is having fun playing the villain. A change of pace from Rebecca Welton, who started off as a foil for Jason Sudeikis's titular Coach Lasso, though over the two seasons of the Apple TV+ series they have forged a much friendlier working relationship. This is also shaping up to be a big week for Waddingham, as she recently told James Corden that she'll be back on set for Ted Lasso on February 14 — just one day after the spot airs.
According to Dana Marineau, CMO of Rakuten Rewards, "Hannah was the perfect antagonist for our story. She delivered an amazing performance that brought the character to life and set the stage we envisioned for our first-ever Super Bowl commercial."
Though it is their first time airing a spot during the big game, Marineau is not concerned about the pressure, adding, "Developing a campaign of this scale and caliber for the Super Bowl is every brand marketer's dream, and I'm so proud of our in-house creative team for this amazing accomplishment."
In addition to Waddingham's starring role as a villainous poker player who relies on the advice of a cat named Leonardo, the spot also features a cameo from Erin and Sara Foster. The duo cohost "The World's First Podcast," and own the clothing brand Favorite Daughter, which is available to shop on Rakuten.
The Super Bowl airs Sunday, February 13th at 6:30 PM EST, but in the meantime check out the thirty-second spot here, and the sixty-second version below: