M&M's To Introduce "Ms. Brown" Character During First Quarter of Super Bowl

M&M’s will “introduce a character to represent brown M&M’s named Ms. Brown” in a commercial airing during NBC's broadcast of Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5, according to Stuart Elliott of the N.Y. TIMES. Ms. Brown will be “the sixth computer-animated mascot for the brand, following walking and talking versions of the red, yellow, blue, green and orange M&M’s.” She is the “second female in the M&M’s cast, after Ms. Green.” The commercial, via BBDO, N.Y., is “scheduled to run in the first quarter" of the game. In a “teaser effort that begins this week, Ms. Brown will arrive in social media, taking over the M&M’s fan page on Facebook, at facebook.com/mms, and sending messages on Twitter, where the character will have her own account with the handle @mmsbrown.” There will also be “print, online and mobile ads as well as a deal to incorporate Ms. Brown into the radio program ‘Elvis Duran and the Morning Show,’ syndicated by the Premiere Networks." Other elements include events in L.A. and N.Y., “displays in stores, radio commercials and appearances for Ms. Brown during episodes of the new season of ‘The Celebrity Apprentice’ on NBC, which begins on Feb. 12” (N.Y. TIMES, 1/17).

MAKING ITS SUPER BOWL DEBUT: H&M will make its debut as a Super Bowl advertiser with a 30-second ad during the second quarter of NBC's telecast promoting the new David Beckham Bodywear collection. The spot also marks Beckham’s debut into the Super Bowl ad line-up. The nine-piece Bodywear collection will be introduced on Feb. 2 in 1,800 H&M stores worldwide. H&M’s ads are all produced in-house at the company’s HQs in Sweden (H&M).

HE'S THE ONE THEY CALL DR. FEELGOOD: USA TODAY’s Laura Petrecca reports model Adriana Lima, rock band Motley Crue and MMA fighter Chuck Liddell will appear in Kia's 60-second Super Bowl ad for its Optima Limited car, with the idea being “one man’s fondest dream.” Kia Motors America VP/Marketing & Communications Michael Sprague calls it “the ultimate man’s dream.” However, he is “quick to add ‘but it’s not offensive to women, either.’” Petrecca notes the ad will launch “in movie theaters Feb. 3, and Kia will also air 15-second teaser ads on TV beforehand.” The automaker also will “leverage the Twitter and Facebook followings of the ad’s stars.” Kia joins fellow automakers Volkswagen, Audi and Honda in airing 60-second spots during the game (USA TODAY, 1/17). Petrecca notes carmakers, shopping services and tiremakers “hold about two dozen of NBC’s 70 30-second slots” for the game. Super Bowl veterans like Chevy, Hyundai, Cars.com and Bridgestone “are back, while brands such as Lexus plan game debuts.” However, with “dozens of rivals in the game … car companies are working hard to make investments pay” (USA TODAY, 1/17).

DRIVE FOR SHOW: Cars.com VP/Marketing Carolyn Crafts said some of the things the company is doing "online right around the Super Bowl are high-impact placements." Crafts: "We will be doing those right after the Super Bowl on sites that have strong sports presence. You can imagine what those might be.” Meanwhile, Crafts noted the company will begin a campaign with ESPN that "rolls out during the week after the Super Bowl in particular." Crafts: "The campaign is a combination of some high-impact placements, including video, as well as some mobile placement. Mobile integration is pretty important to us and we try to find ways to showcase that in our TV advertising” (CABLEFAX DAILY, 1/16).