While those unfamiliar with American football may not recognize the spokesman, Tiny Troy, in the Head & Shoulders commercials, those who follow the NFL will immediately know it was Troy Polamalu. Head & Shoulders (H&S) anti-dandruff and dandruff shampoo, from the multinational Procter & Gamble, is synonymous with a solution to the skin problem that causes dry scalp flaking. The company also has a large marketing campaign that often includes celebrity spokespeople.
Troy Polamalu is a former American football safety who played for the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers for 12 years. In that time, he won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, won two Super Bowls, went to eight Pro Bowls, was inducted into the Steelers Hall of Honor, made the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s and was the cover athlete of the one of the best Crazy video games, Madden NFL 10. More, he invented skipping the line before the play startedwhich changed an aspect of the game in the most eye-catching way possible.
“Tiny” Troy Polamalu has appeared in several Head & Shoulders commercials
Polamalu is a longtime spokesperson for the shampoo brand
Head & Shoulders made a brilliant marketing move by selecting Polamalu to be their spokesperson, and he’s as synonymous with the brand as dandruff itself. Polamalu’s long, flowing hair has been a part of his personality since he entered the NFL. He is instantly recognizable with his locks coming out of the back of his helmet and down his back. After Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson pulled him by the hair for a tackle (a cool maneuver), Polamalu didn’t cut; he just took out insurance for $1 million (through BBC). It’s very important to him.
From inside an enlarged version of the woman’s scalp, “Tiny Troy” discusses the benefits of the shampoo.
Polamalu has been in Head & Shoulders commercials for years, but recently appeared as “Tiny Troy.”a shrunken version of himself. In the commercial, a woman is washing her hair in a beauty salon and the attendant recommends that she use Head & Shoulders shampoo every time she showers. Tiny Troy’s voice comes out of the woman’s hair, and the attendant asks the miniature spokesman what he thinks. From inside an enlarged version of the woman’s scalp, “Tiny Troy” discusses the benefits of the shampoo. The scene then cuts to him sitting in the living room, life-size, reading a magazine.
It’s a very effective commercial. Polamalu likes the weirdest advertising ideas and always looks like he’s having fun. As a longtime spokesperson for the brand with instantly recognizable long, wavy hairhe’s the exact kind of person I’d trust with hair care recommendations.
Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs also represented Head & Shoulders
Polamalu and Mahomes are a team of spokespeople
“Tiny Troy” isn’t the only NFL star in the Head & Shoulders hair salon ad. H&S seems to prefer athletes over famous actors for their commercials because the salon attendant is played by none other than Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. This isn’t the first time Polamalu and Mahomes have appeared together in a Head & Shoulders commercial. Mahomes usually plays the straight man to Polamalu’s more excitable character, but he brings his own lightness and energy to the role, and the two play off each other well.
“Tiny” Troy Polamalu’s best-known endorsement is for Head & Shoulders, but Mahomes has even more products he’s talked about. He has participated in many advertising campaigns, including those for State Farm, Subway, DirectTV, and, most memorably, Hunt’s Ketchup, due to his much-talked about love for the condiment. With charm to burn, these two charismatic athletes definitely have a future in commercials that could very well outlast their football careers.
Other Iconic Sports Spokespeople
Michael Jordan, Deion Sanders and more
Television commercials are one of the best ways for athletes to make money. This has been happening for years and there is no one more iconic in the world of sports spokespeople than Michael Jordan. He put the Nike brand on his shoulders during his playing days and made more money from his Nike contract than he ever made from his NBA contracts. The story was so iconic that it was even made into a movie starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon called Air in 2023.
This continues to this day. The biggest change in college football is NIL agreements, which means college athletes across all sports can sign sponsorship deals and make money from companies by becoming their spokespersons. Many of them are local commercials, but there are others that have spread across the country, like 2024 NFL rookie quarterback Caleb Williams joining the Dr. Pepper commercials. Fansville campaign with former college football legend Brian Bosworth or State Farm ads from women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark.
NFL Hall of Fame star Deion Sanders teamed up with former Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban for Aflac commercials.
One of the most famous commercials airing in the 2024 football season features NFL Hall of Fame star Deion Sanders teaming up with former Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban for Aflac commercials. The two work with the Aflac duck and do everything from spoofing Sanders’ iconic primetime catchphrase to Saban’s iconic coaching career.
Besides people like Tiny Troy, it’s easy to see athletes appearing in commercials all the time in today’s society. The pizzeria Little Caesars has three NFL stars as spokespeople in commercials, including George Kittle (San Francisco 49ers), Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit Lions) and Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings). NFL Hall of Famer Peyton Manning has done numerous TV gigs, from Nationwide Insurance to Subway.
Other iconic commercials featuring NFL stars
Football legends John Madden and “evil” Joe Greene have memorable commercials
Just like Troy Polamalu’s appearances in Head & Shoulders commercials, NFL stars tend to make great choices for commercial appearances. This is especially true given the popularity of the annual series of Super Bowl commercials that have produced some of the most iconic television advertising moments of all time. In fact, there are a few NFL players who have appeared in some of the most memorable commercials.
Peyton Manning continued to prove himself as one of the best spokespeople for athletes with his series of commercials for Nationwide Insurance. Just as Manning explains that the company is much more than an insurance company, he uses the commercials to show that he is more than just a football player, including showing off his painting skills and insisting that he use his stage name “Paintin’ Manning .”
John Madden is one of the most iconic personalities in professional football history, with his popular Madden NFL games further cementing his status. However, Madden’s appearance in a famous 1980s Miller Lite commercial commented on his fiery personality as a football coach. The commercial features Madden talking to the audience about how he’s calmed down in recent years and drinking light beer like Miller to prove it. However, as he continues to explain the benefits of Miller Lite, he becomes increasingly nervous and begins to complain.
Of course, one of the most iconic Super Bowl commercials of all time features a football player. Instead of showing the comical side of football players like many of these commercials do, the iconic Coca-Cola commercial featuring “Mean” Joe Greene shows his softer side. The commercial shows a boy facing the intimidating defensive tackle of the Pittsburgh Steelers after a game. While an injured Greene is initially grumpy towards the boy, when the boy offers him a sip of Coca-Cola, Greene responds by tossing him his game jersey.