‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Is Doubling Down on the Original’s Gratuitous Product Placement
Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore character is largely defined by his love of family, his powerful golf drive and his uncontrollable rage. But let’s not forget that Happy was also a spokesman for Subway. And despite the fact that he got into a televised physical fight with a beloved senior citizen, Happy still ended up being the least problematic Subway spokesman by a country mile.
While this gratuitous corporate tie-in likely wasn’t anyone’s favorite part of the original Happy Gilmore, the highly-anticipated Netflix sequel is doubling down on the character’s association with the fast-food chain.
Real-life Subway locations will soon be selling a “Happy Gilmore Meal,” which, presumably, is legally prohibited from advertising itself as a “Happy Meal.” Each meal will come with a sandwich, a bag of chips and special “collectible cups,” each depicting one of four Happy Gilmore 2 characters: Happy, Shooter McGavin, Bad Bunny’s new caddie character Oscar or Hal L.
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Yes, who wouldn’t want to sip their favorite soft drink from a cup featuring the notorious elder abuser played by Ben Stiller.
Each meal will also come with a “QR code to Subway’s Happy Place,” a reference to the hero’s meditative space of great personal significance, which, as far as we remember, in no way involved his side-hustle for Subway. But now the Happy Place is “an immersive digital experience inspired by Happy’s iconic dream world and reimagined by Subway and Netflix.”
If all that wasn’t enough, because Adam Sandler is too wealthy and busy, Christopher McDonald, who plays Shooter McGavin, will be starring in a series of Subway commercials and social videos. There will even be cardboard cut-outs of Shooter placed in some Subway locations. Although it does seem a little odd that any restaurant chain would want to be so closely associated with a character who’s famous for eating pieces of shit.
Happy Gilmore 2 is also partnering with businesses that don’t make soggy, occasionally spurious sandwiches. Netflix reportedly worked out a deal with golf brand Callaway, whose equipment will be used by Happy in the movie. And the company will “release limited-edition gear based on the film.” That could mean either a special combination hockey stick-putter or a line of taxidermied alligators.
Although Hollywood has a long history of brand partnerships, this seems like quite a lot of fanfare for a Netflix original movie. There was no “Red Notice Meal” at McDonald’s, for example. We didn’t even get a Bird Box-themed KFC bucket.
Hopefully the hype will be worth it once the movie hits movie theat— make that TVs. Or smartphones during bathroom breaks.
