Cumberland County native to appear on new Jimmy Fallon competition show

A Cumberland County native is among 10 contestants selected to compete on an upcoming show created and hosted by late-night talk show host Jimmy Fallon.

B.T. Hale, 37, of Stedman, will appear on “On Brand with Jimmy Fallon,” a competition series that premieres at 10 p.m. Sept. 30 on NBC.

According to a Sept. 10 news release, the show “follows what happens when Fallon starts a premier marketing firm — the On Brand Agency — and fills it with the most creative, clever and competitive go-getters he can find.”

Bozoma Saint John, a former C-suite executive at Uber and Pepsi, will serve as the chief marketing officer of the On Brand Agency. Alongside Fallon, he’ll task the 10 competitors “to think out-of-the-box and reimagine marketing in the modern age,” the release states.

“In each episode, the On Brand Agency creatives will work with a major brand looking for … a big idea for a massive, high-priority campaign — from creating earworm jingles and unbelievable activations to producing the most quotable commercials and must-have merchandise,” the release states. “They will have unprecedented access to the client’s businesses before pitching their vision to a brand representative, along with Saint John and Fallon, with only the best ideas moving on to proof of concept and the opportunity to see their campaign brought to life on the national stage after each episode.”

As a final assignment, one competitor will be given a cash prize of $100,000, a feature in Adweek, a trip to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and the title of Innovator of the Year.

“The only rule? The best idea wins,” the release states.

From Cumberland County to TV

Hale, a 2006 graduate of Cape Fear High School who was once named Kindergartener of the Year for Brentwood Elementary, spoke with The Fayetteville Observer on Sept. 26 about what led to his appearance on the show and hinted at what viewers can expect.

“I’ve always been a huge fan of reality TV shows; ‘Road Rules’ and ‘Real World’ were some of my favorites in high school,” Hale said. “I’ve always been a bigger personality and like to have fun and make funny videos. I’ve always enjoyed being in front of the camera, and combined with the love for reality shows, I’d always wanted to be on ‘Big Brother.’”

Hale said he applied for “Big Brother” several years ago and made it to the finals but was cut after he flew out to Los Angeles.

Casting directors still kept his application.

Hale said that he turned down a few chances to apply for other shows because he didn’t want to be on just any reality show. He wanted to compete.

Then came the call for a new marketing show. Hale didn’t know it’d involve Jimmy Fallon.

“I thought it sounded like something fun, so I applied and made it through,” he said. “I was shocked when I found out it was a show put on by Jimmy Fallon. I didn’t expect it to be that big.”

Getting into marketing

Now a marketing manager and emcee for Cowboys Red River Dance Hall in Dallas, Texas, Hale described his experience in the marketing world as unconventional.

After graduating from Campbell University in the mid-2000s, he attended law school and worked for a real estate attorney in Fayetteville.

Hale said his dad was diagnosed with incurable cancer, and Hale, then 27, moved to Texas to help take care of his father, while taking on jobs with ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft.

“I was figuring out where I wanted to go in my career, and knew I didn’t like law,” he said.

During high school, Hale said, social media was just gaining traction and a career field for social media marketing didn’t exist when he attended college.

Despite having no marketing experience, he leaned into his passion for creative ideas and wanted to market them.

According to the release, he was raised by a single mother who couldn’t afford many toys, so he made his own.

“I’m sure a lot of people asked, ‘Why is this guy with a law degree applying to be a social media manager?’” he said.

By 2017, Hale got his break.

He was a regular at Cowboys Red River and applied for an open position there as a social media manager.

He didn’t hear back, but one night, a friend mentioned the job and introduced him to the dance hall owner.

Hall said he met the owner, who told him interviews were starting that week, and when he later spoke to the hiring manager, she admitted she’d seen his resume but put it to the side because she noticed the law degree and a North Carolina address.

After the interview, Hale said, he was told the other interviews were canceled because the owners wanted to hire him.

“So that was my first break into marketing,” he said.

Being on a new show

Hale said he was able to lean into some of the marketing experience he’s gained while competing on the TV show, but a lot of things were still outside of his wheelhouse.

“As much as I do marketing and social media, I’ve never done an official marketing campaign with a full launch,” he said. “A campaign and branding was new to me. I think I definitely have a lot of creative ideas, but the execution part is where I’d said I’m more on the beginner side. I’m not a videographer or photographer, so there were definitely moments where I was like, ‘Man, am I going to be able to do this?’ I felt like I was stepping into a new world.”

Without revealing the specifics, Hale said that during the casting process, he was given two practice brands. One task was to create a Taco Bell meal deal aimed at those in need of sustenance after a night of partying. The other task was rebranding Ronald McDonald for McDonald’s.

Hale said that he considers being selected for the show a blessing and thinks it’s cool he was able to work with Fallon, Saint John and big brands.

“Jimmy was awesome,” he said, “Exactly what you see on TV of him is how he was in person with us. He’s the same funny, quirky, high-energy guy. I realized Bozoma is top-notch, too. It was crazy to think this show was able to bring me into all these places I wouldn’t be able to get into before.”

Hale said that he hopes Cumberland County residents who tune in to the show realize that even though Fayetteville isn’t as big as Charlotte, Chicago, Los Angeles or New York, “big things, big ideas and big inspiration can come from small towns.”

“Never try to put yourself in a box,” he said.

Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at [email protected] or 910-486-3528.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Cumberland County native appears on ‘On Brand with Jimmy Fallon’