“Tough to lose sleep over football”: Eagles star Saquon Barkley trolls Giants owner John Mara in a humorous way – Times of India

Saquon Barkley‘s exit from the New York Giants has created ripples, not just on the field but also in the world of marketing. After signing a lucrative three-year, $37.5 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, Barkley has emerged as a dominant force, rushing for over 2,000 yards in a season for the first time in his career. This feat has turned him into a nightmare for his former team, leaving Giants fans and executives grappling with regrets and what-ifs.

Saquon Barkley’s Viral Ad Pokes Fun at Giants and John Mara

The Giants now reflect a bleak 3-13 tally and not-so-clear future for the quarterback-who-is-now in contrast to Barkley’s excellent fresh beginnings; meanwhile, the Eagles are swelling on winning the second spot in the NFC playoff berth and gearing up for the serious business of football.
Amid this dramatic fallout, Barkley has teamed up with sleep-aid brand Unisom for a marketing campaign that humorously takes a jab at Giants co-owner John Mara. Mara’s comments from HBO’s Hard Knocks, where he confessed, “I’ll have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia,” have now been turned into the punchline of Barkley’s cleverly crafted ads.
In a series of Instagram videos, Barkley leaned into his former owner’s fears with sharp humor. In one ad, he addressed the Giants’ restless nights directly, saying, “I’m Saquon Barkley. I’ve heard you guys have had some trouble sleeping lately. We got a big game coming up. You should rest up. Maybe try some Unisom. I don’t need it. But you might. I’m gonna sleep like a baby.”

In another video, Barkley penned a mock lullaby referencing his stellar season:
“I heard some of you were having trouble sleeping. So I wrote you a lullaby: ‘Rockabye baby, awake in your bed, as the thought of 2,000 swirls in your head. It sure is tough to lose sleep over football. Not for me, though. Goodnight to you all.’”
Just days before the last head-to-head matchup of the season between the Giants and the Eagles ads released these campaign ads to further the spectacle of blatant opposing paths these teams have taken. While both Barkley and the Eagles ready up for some serious postseason activity, the Giants mull over their decision and regret failing to keep their best fan favorite.
Unisom’s Chief Marketing Officer Claudine Patel shared the inspiration behind the campaign in an interview with Sports Business Journal. She revealed that the idea sprang from Mara’s viral clip, and Barkley was “pretty excited about the idea of it.” Patel remarked, “It could be a really tongue-in-cheek and fun way of leveraging social and leveraging his fandom.”
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While Barkley’s success is reason enough for Giants fans to lose sleep, the Unisom campaign has added a humorous sting to an already painful saga. For now, Barkley and the Eagles are reveling in their triumph, leaving the Giants to reevaluate their future.