The Golden-Voiced Homeless Man

Ted Williams, the Brooklyn native and Ohio (sans residence) resident, who recently became famous for his powerful pipes, is slated to be the new voice of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.

Recently, Columbus Dispatch videographer Doral Chenoweth III filmed a brief interview with Williams, who until this week panhandled on the corner of a highway.

(Ted Williams)

The video — which was quickly posted to YouTube — went viral a few days ago (with help from the Reddit community), and Williams started scoring TV appearances and job offers, including a position with the Cleveland Cavaliers doing voiceovers for their arena. Although he has told some news outlets he has accepted the positon, according to AdAge, Quicken Loans (who works with the Cavs) tells us Williams has yet to confirm.

Kraft, along with the 12 million people who have seen the vid on YouTube, also fell for Williams. Spokeswoman Lynne Galia told us, “Like many others, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese and our ad agency was moved by Ted Williams’s story. His amazing voice is perfectly suited to our campaign. We were in the middle of making our TV spots and in a unique position to help Ted use his great voice to gain employment. Kraft Macaroni & Cheese has a tradition of bringing families together and helping those in need and we’re thrilled to help Ted on his journey to re-establish himself.”

The ad, which Williams apparently filmed after an appearance on the Today Show (Williams flew to New York the other day), will premiere on ESPN on Sunday night during the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco, the culmination of Kraft’s Huddle To Fight Hunger Campaign.

Williams isn’t the first YouTube celeb to become a spokesperson — “Double Rainbow Guy” Paul Vasquez appeared in a commercial for Windows Live Photo Gallery, Antoine Dodson of “Bed Intruder” fame was the spokesman for a sex offender tracker app, and all manner of YouTube stars teamed up to promote a new version of Trivial Pursuit.
Ben Huh recently told audiences at the Web 2.0 conference that the luminaries of viral culture are the “rock stars of tomorrow” — well, it seems that that role is more and more coming to include assuming the mantle of spokesperson.

Granted, Williams is a special case — in that he is homeless and needs a job — but much like Dodson et. al, part of what is attracting advertisers to him is his story. Brands want that story associated with their products, as well as his talent.

It remains to be seen whether the opportunities will endure once the glamor of the tale wears off. Still, given Williams’s great talent, we’re guessing that they will.