Rookies: Fox Expecting About Ten New Super Bowl Advertisers

Bridgestone To Run Super Bowl Spot Featuring Alice Cooper

Under Armour, Cars.com, Tide, Bridgestone/Firestone and Unilever's hair-care brand Sunsilk are among the ten first-time Super Bowl advertisers Fox is expecting for the February 3 game, according to a source cited by Vranica & Kang of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. Under Armour, Cars.com and Sunsilk are using the game to "to launch campaigns." Under Armour is "taking another shot at established companies like Nike and adidas with its ad campaign announcing its entry into the cross-training shoe market." Under Armour's 60-second spot in the first quarter will "feature sports personalities in extreme-training conditions," possibly including 49ers TE Vernon Davis, figure skater Kimmie Meissner or NASCAR driver Carl Edwards.  Under Armour Chair & CEO Kevin Plank: "This is a defining time for our brand. We are now ready to compete in footwear." Under Armour's ad budget, according to TNS Media Intelligence, was $16M last year; Fox is reportedly getting up to $2.7-3M for 30-second Super Bowl spots.  Cars.com's ad is via DDB, Chicago, which has created "many of the wildly popular" Bud Light commercials, and Sunsilk will show images of Madonna, Shakira and Marilyn Monroe "while their music plays." Bridgestone had its agency create ideas for 140 different commercials, which the company eventually narrowed to three now being produced. The company will air two spots during the game featuring Alice Cooper and Richard Simmons  (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/15).

KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE: AD WEEK's Steve Miller reported Audi, in its first Super Bowl spot since '91, will "use one of the themes, if not scenes," from the movie, "The Godfather." Audi CMO Scott Keogh said that the concept  "is to use the theme of the 1972 movie as new world vs. old world in terms of luxury cars." The spot, via Venables Bell & Partners, S.F., will "drive people to a Web site" for the Audi R8 (ADWEEK.com, 1/14)....Garmin has scheduled a January 30 event in N.Y. "to show off" its Super Bowl spot. A company spokesperson said that it "will not be reprising its Garmin Man and Maposaurus commercial" from its '07 Super Bowl ad (K.C. STAR, 1/15).