Danny McBride Helps Mountain Dew Bid a Very Funny Farewell to Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Legendary driver meets his heir apparent
- AdWeek, 10/27/17

Enough with the somber, tear-jerking goodbyes already. When a beloved superstar from the world of sports decides to hang it up, could there be a lighthearted changing-of-the-guard moment instead of a two-hankie weep-a-thon?

If you’re Mountain Dew, and you’re sending off racecar legend Dale Earnhardt Jr., who’s retiring at the end of the season, maybe the latter approach is a better fit. And bringing professional wiseguy Danny McBride [and Chelsea director David Gordon Green] into the mix is icing on that farewell cake.

He shows up to “pass the torch” with a bewildered Earnhardt, with all the compassion and subtlety we’ve come to expect from any character played by McBride.

The extended cut, about two and a half minutes long, gets digital and social media distribution, as do some clever GIFs. And expect more Ryder, the “upgraded” model, in future Dew ads.

For more of David's work, please visit Chelsea.com.