Welcome To The Show: Calvin Klein, Speed Stick Making Super Bowl Debuts This Year

Calvin Klein and Colgate-Palmolive’s Speed Stick deodorant brand will make their Super Bowl debuts Sunday, as the brands “have each bought 30-second spots,” according to Tim Nudd of ADWEEK. The Calvin Klein spot will air “toward the end of the first quarter” and include model Matthew Terry. The ad promotes the new Concept men’s underwear line with a “man versus machine” story. The company indicated that appearing in the Super Bowl “is a ‘significant milestone’ in its evolution.” Meanwhile, the Speed Stick ad “continues the brand’s ‘Handle It’ campaign.” Set to air in the third quarter, the commercial “shows an imperfect man at a Laundromat who unloads a woman’s laundry to use the dryer -- and then is stuck holding her yellow panties just as she arrives” (ADWEEK.com, 1/30).

SOCIAL STUDIES: In N.Y., Stuart Elliott reports the “willingness” of consumers to watch ads “on social media like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube -- and to discuss and share them with friends and family -- is rewriting the Super Bowl playbook for Madison Avenue.” Colgate-Palmolive "uploaded the [Speed Stick] spot to the brand’s YouTube channel" yesterday. Colgate-Palmolive Integrated Marketing Communications GM Scott Campbell said company execs “don’t see any down side” to forgoing the “aha!” moment during the game. He said one reason the brand released the spot early on social media was it is part of “a campaign that was social from the get-go.” Elliott writes, “To be sure, priming the pump before a Super Bowl spot runs does not guarantee success.” Univ. of Rochester marketing and psychology executive professor George Cook said, “Pre-announcements can build up hype, but if the ad isn’t seen as dynamic, innovative or exciting, I don’t think the sneak peeks work.” Cook said that another risk is the "'message can wear out' before the game, lowering the return on the large investment in a Super Bowl campaign.” Running ads before the game “may also backfire if consumers dislike what they see.” Volkswagen, for instance, has been “fending off negative responses to its Super Bowl ad since previews began online on Monday” (N.Y. TIMES, 1/31).

SNEAK PEEKS: In Detroit, Alisa Priddle notes Ford has “released a preview of the Lincoln Super Bowl ad that arguably had a more interesting development cycle than the relatively conventional commercial that was derived from the public's suggestions.” Lincoln decided to “use social media and comedian/talk show host Jimmy Fallon to steer the story line of a commercial.” Fallon used Twitter to “solicit road stories from the public and then weed through them to come up with a story line.” But he “does not appear in the ad, and some might argue the spot lacks the wit one might expect from someone with his unique sense of humor” (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 1/31). In St. Louis, Lisa Brown reports Anheuser-Busch InBev is “giving a sneak peek to some of the ads that will make up its lineup Sunday.” A 30-second ad for A-B's Beck's Sapphire beer “features an animated fish swimming around a glowing red sapphire on the beer's label that serves as an introduction to the new beer.” The brand “isn't giving an early look for all its Super Bowl ads." However, the brewer's Budweiser Clydesdale ad "set to air during the game will be released on Friday” (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 1/31). MEDIA POST’s Tanya Irwin noted Century 21’s final 30-second ad titled “Wedding” will air “in the first commercial break of the third quarter and is part of a campaign with a comedic twist” incorporating the theme “Is there a Century 21 agent in the house?” All four of the company’s ads “portray Century 21 agents assisting home buyers and sellers during life-changing milestones.” The spots “will be seen nine different times throughout the day on Super Bowl Sunday.” In addition, Century 21 will “sponsor a full one-hour pre-game show and a video segment” to be aired on game day entitled "Home Town Heroes" (MEDIAPOST.com, 1/29).

CALLING FOUL: REUTERS’ Sue Zeidler reported Arab-American groups have “sharply criticized a Coca-Cola Super Bowl ad depicting an Arab walking through the desert with a camel, and one group said it would ask the beverage giant to change it before CBS airs the game on Sunday.” Coke in its ad “asks viewers to vote online on which characters should win the race,” but the online site “does not allow a vote for the Arab character.” American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee Legal & Policy Affairs Dir Abed Ayoub said, "What message is Coke sending with this. By not including the Arab in the race, it is clear that the Arab is held to a different standard when compared to the other characters in the commercial" (REUTERS, 1/30).

REGIONAL BUYS: In San Diego, Jonathan Horn noted Jack in the Box’ Super Bowl commercial is “airing in 46 of the 60 TV markets that has a Jack in the Box.” In the ad, Mr. Box's “days as a rocker are brought back to life,” with the chain “debuting his one-hit wonder burger, a take off from the band's ‘one hit’ -- Hot Mess” (UTSANDIEGO.com, 1/30). In Indianapolis, Scott Olson reported Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance has “two 30-second commercials this year airing before and after the game ... throughout Indiana.” The insurer will run the latest installment of its “Stop Knocking on Wood” campaign (IBJ.com, 1/30). In Cincinnati, Alexander Coolidge reports Cincinnati Bell is “planning a major advertising blitz for its growing Fioptics television, high-speed Internet and voice service -- broadcast locally” during the game (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 1/31).

WEB PRESENCE: ADWEEK’s Mike Shields noted as “part of YouTube's fifth-annual Ad Blitz program, fans will be able to watch all of the high-profile ads broadcast during the Super Bowl on Feb. 3 on both Adweek and YouTube, and they'll also be able to vote for their favorite spots through Feb. 11.” At that time, the two partners “will announce the most popular ad from this year's Super Bowl” (ADWEEK.com, 1/30).