Tim Herron’s little baseball card shop in Lincoln Square is about to enjoy the High Life.
Tim’s Baseball Card Shop is one of four businesses from across the country that will be featured in a Miller High Life commercial built around “little guys” that will air during the Super Bowl.
Herron is stoked to be included.
“It’s a real fun commercial, real simple, nothing fancy,” he says. “Everyone was being themselves, no acting or anything.”
He’s not exactly sure how his business was selected; he just got a call out of the blue.
“One day Miller just called me and asked me if I would like to represent the hard-working people of Chicago in an ad,” said Herron, who was a High Life drinker before the company contacted him. “I said yeah.”
Miller said Herron made sense as a representative.
“Miller High Life is all about common sense and nothing makes more sense than giving deserving small businesses the opportunity to be a part of the Big Game,” said Joe Abegg, brand manager for Miller High Life, in a press release.
A local teaser ad will begin airing this week, and behind-the-scenes footage is available here.
Anyone who’s seen the current Miller High Life campaign, which features a hefty delivery driver taking the beer away from people who don’t live the “High Life,” will understand the "little guy" theme.
Herron says he actually met Windell Middlebrooks, who plays the delivery driver in the campaign, and says the two spent a lot of time talking about Chicago.
“Oh man, he’s a cool guy, and a lot of fun.”
Herron’s not sure how the ad will affect his business, but Crain’s Chicago Business quoted a marketing professor who says that he should be prepared for a big pickup.
“Tim is going to need his whole family to help him deal with the business after this because he is going to be inundated,” says Herb Ritchell, a marketing professor at Loyola University. “This is also an innovative approach for the brand, and really gets at its goal of being a beer for the everyman.”
Tim’s Baseball Card Shop is going to host a Super Bowl viewing party for a few of his most loyal customers. They’ll all get a chance to watch Tim’s first acting turn along with him.
“I hope everyone in Chicago loves the commercial,” he says.
