If you’re a baseball fan, there’s a good chance that your favorite player is from a Latin American country. Nearly a quarter (24.2%) of the 949 MLB players drafted on Opening Day were born in a not-so-distant baseball hotbed, with the Dominican Republic beating all international competitors with 108 reps.
In addition to the massive headcount – according to MLB data, no fewer than 231 Latino players were listed on rosters at the start of the 2024 season – many of the league’s hottest young stars are members of this growing group. As of Thursday afternoon, eight of the 13 players currently batting .300 or better were born in Venezuela or the Dominican Republic, including No. 1 Luis Arráez (San Diego by way of San Felipe, .332) and newly minted Yankees phenom Juan Soto (Santo Domingo, .312).
In an attempt to celebrate the impact Latino players continue to have on the game, MLB is launching a new fan-facing brand campaign, “El Béisbol es Otra Cosa” – or “Baseball is Something Else.” Introducing Saturday night liveMarcello Hernández and rapper Myke Towers, the spot’s 90-second supercut includes explosive moments on the field from names like Soto, the Reds’ sprinter Elly De La CruzFrancisco Lindor of the Mets and Randy Arozarena (Rays).
Directed by Brooklyn-based creative agency Remezcla, the initial “Otra Cosa” commercial was directed by LOBOS, the collective name taken on by filmmakers Carmelo Varela and Andrew Garcia. On the paid media front, 15- and 30-second edits of the longer anthem ad will appear across digital and social media outlets, while the TV plan includes buys on Spanish-language channels such as ESPN Deportes, Fox Deportes, Universo and CNN in Spanish.
Spots will continue to be in high rotation throughout the summer, with adjacencies planned for the Home Run Derby and the 94th MLB All-Star Game. A new rotation will be underway when Hispanic Heritage Month arrives in mid-September, which in turn will help set the stage for postseason fireworks.
“With ‘Beisbol,’ we are showcasing the spectrum of Latin American cultures as they are experienced across baseball,” said Karin Timpone, MLB chief marketing officer. “It really is a wonderful palette for exploring everything from music and food to family and style.”
In some ways, the ad underscores the fundamental principle of baseball – tradition and defending it – while also serving as a reminder that new customs can elevate fun without undermining more restrictive ways of doing things. Which is to say, bat throwing is awesome. Go cry in your Volvo, haters.
While there are no clips of players launching their Louisville Sluggers into orbit after a dinger, the fluidly edited ad includes a bunch of bold and bright references to each player’s native culture. Repeated viewings reveal an almost obsessive level of detail in the game; Not only does Arozarena’s sombrero perfectly match the Rays’ signature navy hue (Pantone: 648 C), but the very presence of Mexico’s traditional bowler hat on the Cuban-born outfielder’s head — rather than, say, a seemingly more appropriate felt – may well send the curious viewer down the Internet rabbit hole.
In a particularly effective move, the spot switches from English to Spanish to a high-speed hybrid of the two languages. While there are some linguistic reversals to navigate, much of the spot’s energy is generated by the play between the on-screen explosions and the winding rapids of the audio track. Talk about data overload; With this location, information keeps flying at you faster than a Luis Gil from four seas.
The resulting burst of energy is a big part of why the clip is so effective. As Lindor is shown knocking down a ball during a night game at Citi Field, Towers lets out a “¡Fuácata!” which subsequently obtains the bat Man “Biff! Shock! Bang!” on-screen treatment. The Cuban interjective may not be translated into English, but Towers’ narration is: When combined with the crack of Lindor’s stick, the crowd’s applause gives rise to “sounds that need no subtitles or translations.”
As Timpone notes, approximately one in four Gen X consumers identifies as Latino, a statistic that is in line with broader demographic trends. At last count, there were about 63.7 million Hispanic Americans in the U.S., representing just one-fifth (19.1%) of the total population. In some ways, the entire venue functions as a celebration of the changing face of the game, and much of the joy being conveyed here has to do with a full embrace of the traditions that are taking root on U.S. soil as the national makeup. evolves.
Naturally, many of the visual criteria are related to food; as Hernández says over thundering doses of steaming plantains and an arepa that looks for all the world like a cross-section of the Spalding deadball era, “Home is something you carry with you.”
Speaking of Hernández, the young comedian got his start on NBC’s flagship sketch comedy show in October 2022 when he joined Colin Jost during the “Weekend Update” segment to hype up the postseason. “You know, Latinos dominate baseball,” Hernández said early in his debut. “I’m not saying we’re naturally better, I’m just saying we’re more fun to watch. When a Dominican hits a home run, he throws the bat into a different dimension and, when he reaches home plate, he thanks everyone he met.”
But back to the “Otra Cosa” spot, which ends with Hernández and Towers cheering in the stands at Chase Field, in Arizona. The two artists unleashed a volley of Spanish slang that encompasses everything from “Hey, that’s out there!” to the universal “This is amazing!” As the Padres are seen celebrating in their City Connect rainbow ice cream unis, Towers ends the effort with the slogan. Once the location turns black, you no longer need to scan the subtitles. Baseball really is something else.
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