Is The Actor In Eli Manning's Quaker Oats Commercial His Real Father?

There are plenty of famous commercial actors out there, but few have the power to sell like former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning. So, sports fans and breakfast enthusiasts alike were in for a treat when Quaker Oats launched a set of commercials featuring the two-time Super Bowl champion. Few can argue against Manning's dietary recommendations; even fewer can get through these ads without cracking a smile, thanks to the charming dynamic shared between the football star and his family.

Manning's real-life father, Archie Manning, and two of his daughters star in a pair of Quaker Oats commercials released in late August 2023. The first, entitled "Heart," sees Eli and Archie describe how heart-healthy Quaker Oats are while enjoying breakfast. However, neither seems to have the heart to watch over Eli's energetic kids as they chase each other through the house. In the second spot, "Breakfast Playcall," Eli assigns his daughters specific Quaker products based on their activity and energy level. He and his dad jinx each other by taking the same flavor. 

The ads are part of Quaker's Pregrain Tour, which saw the company visit NFL stadiums throughout the 2023 season and share a special cookbook containing recipes inspired by the league's 32 teams. Shooting the commercials was a joyous experience for Manning, who told USA Today, "My dad and I did a commercial for Quaker Oats earlier this summer. Two of my kids were involved in it, so we had a lot of fun." But fun was not the only thing on his mind when it came to the partnership. 

Eli Manning is no stranger to advertising campaigns, having worked with brands such as Corona, Toyota, and King's Hawaiian. His commercials with Quaker Oats featuring his father are entertaining, but there's more to the collaboration than meets the eye. Over the years, Manning has teamed with Quaker to promote healthy living and tackle hunger and food insecurity issues. 

In 2022, he worked alongside Quaker and Feeding America for the Quaker Hunger Clock Campaign. The effort aimed to raise $500,000 by the time Super Bowl LVII rolled around, funding about 5 million meals. Joining the campaign was meaningful to Manning, who wanted to be at the forefront of change. "I just like helping people going through tough times," he told USA Today. "Obviously, America has a hunger issue, and you never want to see people that are hungry and can't get food and can't get nutritious food."

The Pregrain program took many forms throughout 2023, from Manning's commercials to a TikTok campaign that offered fans the chance to win Super Bowl tickets. The initiative also included a $250,000 donation to the non-profit organization GENYOUth, a youth wellness program providing meals for students in need.