We reported back in August how 12-time Olmpic medalist Ryan Lochte signed a new sponsorship deal with a cough drop company, but now the first ad featuring the swimmer has been released. Check out the former Gator’s acting abilities in the Pine Brothers latest commercial, which includes Lochte’s key line, “They Magical”, a phrase that fits right in with his famous ‘Jeah’ lingo.
The company took somewhat of a gamble signing on Lochte fresh off of his Rio incident at a time when other sponsors such as Speedo and AirWeave chose to end their relationships with the athlete. The alienation was due to Lochte’s part in the debacle between 4 American swimmers and security guards at a bathroom in Rio de Janeiro. Now over 3 months removed from the incident, prosecutors offered Lochte a plea deal for the charge of falsely reporting a crime during the infamous gas station ordeal.
However, moving on from the debacle fits in nicely with Pine Brothers ‘forgiving on your through’ ad campaign. Said CEO of the privately held company, Rider McDowell, back in August. “We all make mistakes, but they’re rarely given front-page scrutiny. He’s a great guy who has done incredible work with charities. I’m confident that Pine Bros. fans will support our decision to give Ryan a second chance.”
Lochte’s fresh new start also includes his engagement to Kayle Rae Reid, revealed in October. But, his post-Rio life will also now include a baby, with Lochte and Reid announcing her pregnancy yesterday via social media.