CarMax was faced with the choice of whether to "make a funny ad with people, or make a funny ad with puppies" for its first Super Bowl ad in three years, and the company decided to "do both," according to David Griner of ADWEEK. The auto retailer has created with agency Silver + Partners, N.Y., "a game-day spot called 'Slow Clap,' along with a Web version called 'Slow Bark' that re-creates the ad shot for shot with puppies." "Slow Clap" shows a CarMax customer "driving home in his new car, while a wide array of characters line the street to give him solemn applause in the vein of a Hollywood sports drama." "Slow Bark" includes "pretty much all the same stuff, but with dogs" (
ADWEEK.com, 1/22).
Watch "Slow Bark."
END IT LIKE BECKHAM: In N.Y., Stuart Elliott notes clothing retailer H&M is returning to the Super Bowl with an ad featuring David Beckham "that seeks to build on what the company learned two years ago." The company's spot in '12, which also featured Beckham, came from a "creative unit at H&M named Red Room." H&M said that it was "pleased with how the commercial performed" in '12. But Elliott notes the ad "was not among the standouts in postgame polls." The main way H&M's new ad "will differ from its first is the introduction of elements to encourage interaction." For instance, consumers are being "invited to vote for one of two endings to the 30-second" ad, which will be broadcast in the second quarter of the game. Beckham in one ending "turns up at a photo shoot in H&M briefs." In the other ending, Beckham "arrives at the photo shoot seemingly undressed." The ad begins with Beckham "racing across a cityscape to get to the photo shoot, overcoming obstacles like a lithe, tattooed version of Indiana Jones" (
N.Y. TIMES, 1/23).
CHANGING BODY IMAGE: USA TODAY's Jon Swartz reported NASCAR driver Danica Patrick's 13th Super Bowl ad for GoDaddy is a "departure from the titillation-laced fare she was once a part of." In the new ad, Patrick "leads a bevy of bodybuilders to a spray-tan shop" and she is "squeezed into a muscle suit" for the spot. Patrick said, "This ad is about brand extension, and more about what they do now." GoDaddy CEO Blake Irving said, "Our new message is that of the go-getter -- valuable, edgy and fun. Two years ago, it was provocative, sexy, crazy, gutsy" (USA TODAY, 1/22).
COMING SOON: The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Alex Ben Block reports Disney already has one ad scheduled to run during the Super Bowl, but it was "said to be shopping for additional spots" in the game. The company could possibly take "two or three spaces as other advertisers drop out." Sources said that Disney "likely will promote" the films "Need for Speed," "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" and/or "Guardians of the Galaxy." Disney is "one of three studios committed to ads during the big game." Paramount "will air a single spot" for Michael Bay's "Transformers: Age of Extinction," and Sony has created one for "The Amazing Spider-Man 2." Lionsgate has a pregame ad for "Draft Day" starring Kevin Costner, which is "appropriately set within the NFL" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 1/31 issue).
QUIT TEASING: ADWEEK's Griner noted Dannon's Oikos Greek yogurt ad in this year's Super Bowl "will feature not only brand ambassador John Stamos but also his former sitcom housemates, Bob Saget and Dave Coulier." A teaser for the ad shows the three "Full House" actors "briefly discussing their living situation, which has apparently remained unchanged since the ABC sitcom wrapped" in '95 (
ADWEEK.com, 1/21)....The AP's Mae Anderson notes M&M's for its Super Bowl ad "will feature its yellow peanut M&M 'spokescandy.'" The online teaser "shows the character dancing in a headband before being shot by a tranquilizer dart and dragged off camera" (
AP, 1/23)....In N.Y., Claire Atkinson reported actress Scarlett Johansson, by appearing in SodaStream's new Super Bowl ad teaser, "has helped the company boost consumers’ interest in the brand" by more than 700% (
N.Y. POST, 1/22).
STALE CHIPS? In Dallas, Cheryl Hall noted the Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" contest offers $1M to the winner, which "drew more than 5,000 entries, down about 1,000 from the peak year of 2012 but up from 3,000 last year." Frito-Lay North America Senior VP && CMO Ann Mukherjee takes that "as an indication that the contest hasn’t grown stale." The five finalists in the contest "were chosen by 15 screeners, including bigwigs from Frito-Lay, partner agencies and Marvel’s Stan Lee" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 1/22).
