Super Bowl Advertisers Moving Away From Racy Imagery With This Year's Commercials

Even as Super Bowl marketers are “reaching out to the world's most beautiful models, some appear to be evolving away from ultra-racy imagery,” according to Bruce Horovitz of USA TODAY. Go Daddy, “historically the Super Bowl's raciest advertiser," on Friday named model Bar Refaeli as its "newest Super Bowl-bound Go Daddy girl.” This will be Refaeli's “first Super Bowl spot,” and she will “star with veteran race car driver Danica Patrick in the 30-second ad.” The spot, called "The Perfect Match,” was developed by Deutsch, N.Y., and is being filmed in L.A. Friday. The move comes just weeks after Mercedes-Benz announced that model Kate Upton will "star in its game spot.” Both Refaeli and Upton are former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue cover girls, but both “will appear in formal dresses -- as plans are right now.” For Go Daddy, “it's also an attempt to soften its image.” Go Daddy CMO Barb Rechterman said that while Refaeli's outfit in the commercial is “still undecided, it will be a cocktail dress or something very formal.” Horovitz notes Mercedes-Benz is featuring Upton in its commercial to “appeal to a younger customer.” Mercedes-Benz USA President & CEO Stephen Cannon said that Upton “will be wearing a cocktail dress” (USA TODAY, 1/4).

CASH IN YOUR CHIPS: MASHABLE’s Todd Wasserman reported Doritos has “settled on the five finalists” for its “Crash the Super Bowl” contest. Two of the ads -- “one chosen by the people and one by Doritos execs -- will run during the Super Bowl.” While three of the ads “won't make the cut, the creators at least get" $25,000 and a trip to New Orleans to attend Super Bowl XLVII in a private luxury suite (MASHABLE.com, 1/3).