Alex Ovechkin’s penchant for making memorable and ridiculous commercials continues in a new batch of ads he recently filmed for Russia’s PSB Bank.

Ovechkin, like one of his favorite rappers, Eminem, plays dress-up and dons costumes to promote his hometown bank from Moscow.

In the first clip, Sherlock Holmesvechkin takes out his cell phone to show off PSB’s app to an exhausted businessman trying to apply for a loan. Ovi taps one button and everything is done. “Elementary!” Ovechkin says as he looks into a magnifying glass and flashes his signature gap-toothed smile.

Commercial transcript

Narrator: Business credit can be as confusing as a detective novel. Apply online for business credit with PSB for any purpose without collateral and cosigner. PSB – the bank for business!

Ovechkin: Elementary!

RMNB context: This is playing off a famous line from the Sherlock Holmes movie “Elementary, my dear Watson!” The Russians had their own extremely popular Holmes TV series in the 1980s, the “It’s elementary, Watson!” line is ubiquitous in just about every episode.

In the second commercial, Ovechkin poses as a wide variety of characters including Aladdin riding a magic carpet, a toothpick-chewing cowboy with magic finger-like guns, a sword-wielding Alexander The Great, Sherlock Holmes (again), Ziggy Stardust (?), and a Three Musketeer.

“We all want for someone to come and fulfill our wishes,” the narrator says in the commercial. “Like in a movie. Or with a bullet. Epic! Just the way we do it! To have your dreams come true, make your main character a strong hero. Right, Shurik?! PSB – the bank for strong people!”

[Editor’s note: Shurik is a diminutive for Alex. There is also a very famous movie character from the 70s whose name was Shurik. It’s often referred to in various pop culture things.]

The epic ads follow commercials Ovechkin shot in 2020 which sees the hockey superstar visit space, do ballet, and wear a panda suit.

Commercial transcript

Narrator: Life can be complicated [TV yelling “winning goal by Alex Ovechkin!”]
Narrator: To meet someone invincible
Narrator: and impenetrable
Narrator: a stone wall man
Narrator: a boulder man
Narrator: But to find a bank that makes you feel like you are behind a stone wall is easy.
Narrator: PSB – the bank for strong people!

If Ovi can be this funny dressing up, tell me why he couldn’t guest host an episode of SNL if he breaks Gretzky’s goals record?

Screenshot: PSB Bank

Translation by Igor Kleyner

S/T @ikhurshudyan