DoorDash x 50 Cent: Key Findings
- DoorDash skips in-game Super Bowl placement for a social-first campaign featuring 50 Cent, teaching fans the art of beef and clapbacks.
- "The Big Beef" targets Gen Z where they experience the game: online through comments and social media debates.
- 50 Cent's casting makes sense given his legendary rap feuds with Ja Rule, The Game, and Rick Ross, establishing him as an expert in public beef.
Campaign Snapshot
DoorDash is ditching traditional Super Bowl advertising for a social-first campaign that meets Gen Z fans in the comment section.
Titled "The Big Beef," it features Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson teaching fans the art of trash talk as rivalries play out both on the field and online.
Here, DoorDash shows how skipping the $8 million in-game spot lets brands invest in sustained social content that reaches Gen Z while they're scrolling and engaging.
Meeting Fans in the Comment Section
The campaign acknowledges the change in how younger audiences experience major sporting events.
Gen Z spends more time on their phones during live sports than older generations, treating games as background for social feeds and group chats.
In response, the food delivery service is adding itself to these conversations through content designed for multi-screen viewing.
The campaign will unfold across social media throughout Big Game weekend across DoorDash's Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube Shorts channels.
Additional content will also feature creators, including Rob Rausch of The Traitors and Love Island, Boston Rob, and Dorinda Medley of RHONY.
"The Big Game has become a multi-screen moment, and today the comment section is where the conversation and the beef really happen," said Gina Igwe, VP and Head of Consumer Marketing at DoorDash.
"DoorDash already has everything consumers need for the Big Game, and now we're talking a big game with the help of cultural icon and beef expert, 50 Cent."
50 Cent as the Ideal Spokesperson
DoorDash's choice to cast 50 Cent makes perfect sense, given his history of high-profile feuds in hip-hop.
His decade-long beef with Ja Rule became one of rap's most notorious rivalries, involving diss tracks, public insults, and social media warfare.
He's also had notable feuds with The Game, Rick Ross, and Floyd Mayweather, establishing himself as someone who knows how to keep these things going.
"I've always been about keeping it real, so when DoorDash approached me about a social campaign around beef, it felt authentic from the start," 50 Cent said in a statement.
"They've got everything you need, and just like with beef, the receipts speak for themselves."
Casting talent who has lived the campaign's theme gives brands instant authenticity without needing to explain why they're qualified.
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DoorDash's social-first approach offers lessons for brands targeting Gen Z during major events:
- Build creator ecosystems. Multiple voices extend reach across overlapping audiences and sustain attention beyond one star moment.
- Let content unfold over time. Staggered releases across a full event window keep engagement active longer than one-off drops.
- Enter the conversation through culture. Commentary and humor help brands participate naturally without forcing product presence.
For Gen Z, live events are experienced as an ongoing social feed, where relevance comes from real participation.
Our Take: Does Skipping the Game Make Sense?
I think this strategy works if DoorDash can generate enough social engagement to offset the massive reach of an in-game spot.
50 Cent's casting is also smart because his beef history is well-documented and lends credibility to the campaign with hip-hop fans who know his backstory.
@doordash for a petty king he’s so wholesome 🥹 @50 Cent ♬ original sound - DoorDash
Whether this generates more value than an in-game ad depends on whether Gen Z is truly in the comments debating plays or if they're watching primarily on TV.
If they're scrolling while they're watching, DoorDash will find them there.
In other news, Frank's RedHot declares itself the GOAT in a Super Bowl campaign with rapper Ludacris.
Brands building social-first campaigns need agencies that understand platform behavior and real-time engagement. Explore top social media marketing agencies in our directory.
