- Terry Crews has been named the "Ultimate Host" for Hisense's new "Out Host with Hisense" campaign, launched April 23, 2026, timed directly to the FIFA World Cup 2026.
- The campaign is rooted in Hisense consumer research showing 60% of Americans prefer watching major events at home, 56% host at least once a month, and 85% regard the TV as the central gathering point of their home.
- Crews stars in a 60-second campaign spot, playing multiple roles including host, grandmother, and "CommenTerry," showcasing Hisense's full 2026 lineup: the UR9 RGB MiniLED TV, XR10 Laser Projector, and U7 ULED MiniLED TV.
- This marks the first-ever partnership between Terry Crews and Hisense; Hisense's prior celebrity partnerships have included global ambassadors Iker Casillas and Manuel Neuer for UEFA EURO 2024.
Terry Crews is officially the face of Hisense’s boldest U.S. marketing push to date. The “Out Host with Hisense” campaign, announced April 23, 2026, positions the Brooklyn Nine-Nine star and longtime America’s Got Talent host as the brand’s “Ultimate Host,” tapping into a clear cultural shift: Americans are staying home and going all out doing it.
Hisense research found that 60% of Americans now prefer watching major events at home, 56% host at least once a month, and 85% say the TV is the focal point of their home. With the FIFA World Cup 2026, for which Hisense is an official sponsor, right around the corner, the timing is sharp.
The campaign debuted at an invite-only “House of Color” event in New York City and features a 60-second spot where Crews plays multiple roles, embodying the idea that great hosting leaves no detail unattended.
The full 2026 Hisense lineup powers the campaign, from the UR9 RGB MiniLED TV (available now) to the XR10 Laser Projector, capable of projecting up to 300 inches.
This is the first Hisense deal for Crews, who most recently fronted Ram Trucks’ high-energy “Epic Launch” college football campaign in October 2025 and has an active ambassadorship with Myprotein since January 2025.
Similar to how Gabrielle Union and Keegan-Michael Key have been tapped for Casamigos’ World Cup 2026 campaign, Hisense is betting on a personality-driven, event-anchored strategy to dominate the home entertainment conversation this summer.
It’s part of a wider 2026 trend of brands building culturally loaded campaigns around the World Cup moment — and Hisense chose a face that is impossible to ignore.
For Hisense, this is a strategic pivot in U.S. marketing. The brand previously built its global ambassador playbook around football royalty, Iker Casillas and Manuel Neuer headlined its UEFA EURO 2024 “Beyond Glory” campaign.
Switching to an American entertainment powerhouse signals a clear push to deepen its cultural footprint stateside ahead of a World Cup held on home soil.
Much like Action Bronson’s authentic-first casting for Minute Maid Spiked earlier this month, Hisense is leaning into personality-over-fame logic, and with Crews, that bet is hard to argue with.
Takeaways
This deal is a textbook example of right-person, right-moment casting. Terry Crews doesn’t just look the part of the ultimate host, his entire public persona is built on big energy, genuine warmth, and competitive excellence. Hisense didn’t have to stretch the narrative; it was already there.
What makes this campaign particularly sharp is how it reframes a product category (consumer electronics) around a behavioral insight (Americans love hosting) rather than specs. That’s a harder, smarter marketing play, and it has World Cup legs that will carry well into the summer.
For Hisense, this is also a clear declaration of intent in the U.S. market. Ranking No. 1 globally in the 100-inch+ TV segment is impressive, but American mindshare requires cultural credibility, and Terry Crews delivers that in a way goalkeeping legends, however iconic, simply couldn’t for a domestic audience.
Does Hisense’s pivot from soccer legends to an American entertainment star signal a deeper shift in how electronics brands are approaching U.S. consumers? With the FIFA World Cup 2026 being held on U.S. soil, which brands are best positioned to win the at-home viewing party marketing race?
