The video sprints from one unlikely scenario to another in just 30 seconds. A pot-bellied partier cradles a Chihuahua. A bride flees police on a golf cart. A farmer luxuriates in a pool full of eggs. Like a sign reading “Fresh Manatee,” oddball details fill the screen.
On X, P.J. Accetturo, the creator of the video said that Kalshi hired him to make the most unhinged NBA finals commercial possible.
Appearing in the YouTube TV stream of Game 3 of the NBA Finals on June 11, the Kalshi ad had a high-profile debut. That placement, as well as the over-the-top content, might suggest weeks of work by a team of ad agency creatives, film crews, as well as actors at far-flung locations. However, Accetturo says he used AI tools instead, taking just two days to make an ad whose tone flits between internet memes and Grand Theft Auto.
The video also gained over 3 million views on Kalshi’s X account just one week after its streaming debut. Also, it’s raising questions about the possibility of AI reshaping advertising budgets.
Jack Such, representative of Kalshi media told NPR that they are incredibly pleased with the outcome and effectiveness of the ad so far. It has generated a lot of buzz on social media.
An advertising veteran, Accetturo, says AI will be a big part of the future of the industry. Experts who spoke to NPR tend to agree. Even if they’re not yet sure how much the technology might displace jobs.
According to Alok Saboo, a professor of marketing at Georgia State University, AI will lower the entry barrier for smaller brands. These are the brands that can’t afford a traditional video ad campaign.
Kalshi describes itself as a prediction market, however, its similarity to betting platforms has drawn inspection from gambling regulators. Kalshi users shout their picks for who will win the NBA title in the ad: Oklahoma City or Indiana.
