The number of automakers advertising during NBC's broadcast of Super Bowl XLIX continues to grow, as BMW "will return ... after a four-year break" with a 60-second spot in the first quarter "promoting its all-electric BMW i3," according to Jeanine Poggi of AD AGE. BMW "tapped KBS for the creation of the commercial, and UM is responsible for media buying" (ADAGE.com, 1/15). Meanwhile, Toyota Friday morning announced it will promote the Camry before and during the game. The "One Bold Choice" campaign includes a 60-second spot scheduled to run during the second quarter of the Super Bowl and a pregame ad featuring Paralympic snowboarder Amy Purdy and the voice of Muhammad Ali. Toyota will promote the campaign leading up to the game with a video series featuring Broncos DE DeMarcus Ware, Bills RB Fred Jackson and former NFLers Kurt Warner and LaVar Arrington. The car company also is the sponsor of NBC's halftime report during the broadcast. Other automakers advertising during the game include Lexus, Nissan, Kia and Mercedes (THE DAILY).
STARRY, STARRY NIGHT: ADWEEK's Michelle Castillo reported NBC's "Today" recently filmed its Super Bowl ad, which will air "as an in-house promotional ad guaranteed to NBC as the big game's hosts." The show "invited director Mat Whitecross to create a 30-second TV spot inspired by his music video" for Coldplay's "A Sky Full of Stars." During the video, the band walks "through the streets of Sydney dressed as one-man bands." Members of the public slowly "join the musicians on their stroll, eventually ending in a live performance." "Today" licensed the song and "asked Whitecross to re-create that experience for its Super Bowl ad." The show "will build buzz for its ad ahead of the Super Bowl by posting an extended version of the 30-second spot on its social media pages, as well as a behind-the-scenes video of the shoot" (ADWEEK.com, 1/15).
FORK IN THE ROAD: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Nathalie Tadena wrote under the header, "The Case For Keeping Super Bowl Ads Secret." Deutsch North America CEO Mike Sheldon called it a “business no-brainer” to release a Super Bowl spot ahead of the game because of the additional exposure and media attention a brand can gain. Deutsch, L.A., and Volkswagen's "famous 2011 Super Bowl spot 'The Force' went online the Wednesday before the game and had 17 million views before it ever ran on TV." Sheldon: "From a pure exposure standpoint, we made back all our money on the spot before it ever ran without spending a dime." But Tadena noted some big brands "are keeping their Super Bowl creative plans under wraps until game day to keep viewers in suspense." Nissan "is among the brands that won’t release its big game commercial early." Nissan North America Senior VP/Sales, Marketing & Operations Fred Diaz: "Fundamentally, the element of entertainment surprise is key. ... What we don’t want to do is destroy the magic of the spot by showing it beforehand" (WSJ.com, 1/15).
