As a renowned foodie and backer of Nobu restaurants, Robert de Niro was the ideal frontman for Madrid’s international gastronomy summit. Leo Burnett decided to push its luck and see if he might do the job for free, and it worked.
First, the agency made an ad asking the movie star to promote the Madrid Fusion Alimentos de España, offering no fee apart from the promise of a bespoke tasting menu from some of Spain’s top chefs. De Niro was given a 48-hour window before they offered the gig to someone else, and advised to “listen to his gut” when making the decision.
De Niro responded to the social media plea and, in the manner of d-list celebs making “happy birthday” films for a few quid in lockdown, he cheerfully supports the event and looks forward to his next trip to Madrid.
