Movie Prop Rentals Tees Off with Rickie Fowler and Rocket Mortgage

Given our Hollywood backgrounds, we’re no strangers to celebrities. We’ve worked with everyone from Daniel Day-Lewis and Sofia Vergara to Shaq and Kevin Durant, to Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez. We were honored to work with pro golfer Rickie Fowler for the latest round of Rocket Mortgage commercials.

Fowler took five PGA Tour victories and three international titles. He was ranked the number one amateur golfer in the world for 36 weeks in 2007 and 2008. He reached a career-high in 2016, where he placed fourth in the Official World Golf Ranking following his victory in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. Who wouldn’t want someone like that on their putt-putt team?

About the Commercial

Rocket Mortgage hired us for two spots filmed in September 2020:

• “Putt-Putt”: The concept behind this spot was, “As a buyer backed by Rocket Mortgage, you’ll have a competitive edge in the market– just like Rickie Fowler does on a putt-putt course.” The ad shows a small house on a putt-putt green. The narrator explains, “You found the perfect house, but the competition is tight.” Video cuts to a frustrated dad, putter in hand. He pulls out his phone and brings up the Rocket Mortgage app, which prompts a split-screen to open with Rickie Fowler arriving. The narrator explains, “Don’t worry. You’ve got Rocket Mortgage, so you’ve got this– just like Rickie Fowler on a putt-putt course.” Video cuts to the son holding an ice cream cone– stunned, mouthing “Rickie Fowler?” Fowler steps up, putts, competitor home buyers disappear into the ground, there’s a hole-in-one, and the For Sale sign flips to Sold. The narrator reminds audiences, “When you want to stand out from the competition, Rocket Can.”
• “Play Through”: The concept behind this shorter, 15-second spot was that home buyers would have the competitive edge, just like Rickie Fowler on a putt-putt course. The narrator explains, “Claire and Joe just found out someone else made an offer on the house they want.” The woman pulls up the Rocket Mortgage app on her phone, causing Rickie Fowler to arrive in a branded golf cart. “No sweat,” the narrator reminds us. “With Rocket Mortgage, they can update and send a new offer letter in the time it takes Rickie Fowler to play through.” Fowler lofts the ball over the windmill for a hole-in-one. “When you want to buy a home like a pro, Rocket Can,” we’re told. The surprised couple waves back to Rickie.

Check out our stills from the Rocket Mortgage / Rickie Fowler project here.

What We Did

For “Putt-Putt,” we fabricated a miniature house hero prop that stars in the opening scene. It boasted a spring-loaded front door that popped open for dramatic effect. Similarly, we made a For Sale sign that could automatically flip to Sold on command. We created a bright orange, fully functional windmill like you classically see at mini-golf facilities. Our prop warehouse had much to offer the discerning mini golf purveyor– from giant dinosaurs to Alice In Wonderland toadstools, but we ultimately went with the giant seahorse theme. We also brought fake Astro-turf putting green, flowers to dress the set, benches, putting signs, putters, and multi-colored balls for an authentic look. Our team procured a golf cart and created a special RKT CAN license plate.

Insider’s Perspective

“Movie Prop Rentals is all about the movie magic,” explains co-founder Jerry Blohm. “You’d never guess we were just in a parking lot the whole time. Being from Miami, naturally, I love the gigantic sea horses, and tiki gods featured prominently on the course. That’s really our motto–go big or go home. We’ve got 3D printers and in-house artisans that can make any hero prop you need, to custom styling and dimensions. If you want big, you’ve come to the right place.”

“I love that golf cart featured prominently in the Play Through spot,” adds Movie Prop Rentals co-founder and art director Graylan Franklin, “The client was very particular about getting something that was sleek, stylish, unconventional, sporty, memorable, high-end, unique, and branded. I think we hit the ball out of the park on that one.”

Contact Movie Prop Rentals for Commercial Set Design

Movie Prop Rentals is your one-stop-shop for commercial set design, props, lighting, and special effects. If you dream it, we can do it. Our experience includes Super Bowl ads, award-winning spots, and high-profile commercials featuring celebrities. We are based in Miami, Florida, but travel anywhere in North America where our props, sets, custom designs, and art direction are needed. Contact us for a free, no-obligation quote. We can provide you with CAD renderings, photographs, warehouse tours, and whatever else helps you decide on the perfect aesthetic for your commercial.