Coca-Cola Teams Up With Marvel For Super Bowl Spot; Audi Using David Bowie Song

Coca-Cola and Marvel are "joining forces for a superheroic commercial in Super Bowl 50" on Sunday, according to Tim Nudd of ADWEEK. The ad "will be a 60-second spot and will air during the second quarter" (ADWEEK.com, 2/3). AD AGE noted Coca-Cola yesterday teased the ad by "sending out a package to media outlets ... with six Coke cans featuring designs of Marvel characters," including the Hulk, Ant-Man, Black Widow and Captain America. A note in the package states the "big game is just the beginning." Coca-Cola is "not planning to release the ad early or provide further details" (ADAGE.com, 2/3).

A NEW SPACE ODDITY: ADWEEK's Nudd noted Audi yesterday released its 60-second Super Bowl spot, and it is "destined to have one of the most talked-about soundtracks of any commercial on the game." It features the late David Bowie's "Starman," and the song "brings great energy" to the spot. The ad "tells the story of a retired astronaut who rediscovers his passion for life -- and powerful machines -- when his son lets him drive" the '17 Audi R8 V10 Plus. The ad, via Venables Bell & Partners, S.F., "will run in the first quarter." The ad will be Audi's "eighth Super Bowl ad, and the second to feature the R8" (ADWEEK.com, 2/3). In Detroit, Michael Wayland notes that all auto brands advertising in the game "except Toyota and newcomer Buick have released their commercials online prior to the game, as they get as much traction as they can for the millions of dollars they are spending." Kia Motors America Exec VP & COO Michael Sprague: "We’re looking to connect with consumers before, during and after the Super Bowl. We’ve always found that it’s helped to amplify our campaign, and really get the word out before the game" (DETROIT NEWS, 2/4).

WEATHER MAP: In Chicago, Danny Ecker notes Illinois-based MacNeil Automotive Products will show a Super Bowl spot "for the third straight year, showcasing its WeatherTech floor mats and car accessories brand." WeatherTech CEO David MacNeil said that the Super Bowl spots "worked wonders for the company the first two times." MacNeil indicated that the Super Bowl buy is the "largest single marketing investment this year for WeatherTech." Ecker notes this year's ad, titled "Resources," "expands on the 'made in America' mantra the company stressed last year." The spot, again via Pinnacle Advertising, Schaumburg, "will run during the first half" of the game and "tugs at the heartstrings a bit more than the previous ads" (CHICAGOBUSINESS.com, 2/4).

POLITICAL ANIMALS: AD AGE's E.J. Schultz noted Bud Light, "which has been teasing its celebrity-filled, political-themed Super Bowl ad for nearly two weeks," finally released its spot yesterday. Amy Schumer and Seth Rogen are "shown rallying support for the 'Bud Light Party.'" The ad, via Wieden + Kennedy, N.Y., "marks the beginning of the broader 'Bud Light Party' campaign that will run through the election season" (ADAGE.com, 2/3). ADWEEK's Kristina Monllos noted the Bud Light ad is the "first work for the brand" from W+K. The spot also "features the brand's new package design from design firm Jones Knowles Ritchie," which will "be on shelves in April" (ADWEEK.com, 2/3).

ALL IN THE DETAILS: Snickers yesterday announced details for its Super Bowl spot, and the new 30-second commercial is staged to mirror the Marilyn Monroe film "The Seven Year Itch." The ad sees a cranky Monroe played by actor Willem Defoe. The ad also includes actor Eugene Levy in the role of a stage hand charged with making Monroe's dress flap in the wind. Snickers yesterday released the spot on its official YouTube page (Snickers). AD AGE's Schultz noted Mtn Dew Kickstart's "Puppumonkeybaby" spot was unveiled yesterday, and the ad, via BBDO, N.Y., "carries the tagline 'three awesome things combined.'" That slogan is "meant to be a reference to Kickstart's formula, which combines Mtn Dew, fruit juice and caffeine." PepsiCo "considers Kickstart as one of its most successful beverage launches in more than a decade," generating more than $300M in annual retail sales (ADAGE.com, 2/3). Disney Pictures yesterday "brought online a tease of the Super Bowl spot for director Jon Favreau's upcoming live-action take" on "The Jungle Book" (COMINGSOON.net, 2/3).

A DIFFERENT APPROACH: ADWEEK's Lauren Johnson noted Super Bowl advertiser Butterfinger is "working with Facebook's creative team to make short, clicky videos as part of its 'Bolder than Bold' campaign" from 360i, N.Y. Unlike the "string of Super Bowl advertisers rolling out their final spots before the game, Butterfinger is keeping its creative under wraps until Sunday and is instead teasing bits of creative through social media." Butterfinger Marketing Manager Kristen Mandel: "You've got to stop someone's thumb as they're flipping through their feed, so there are certain things you can do with your color, font, characters, size and positioning of branding that will get consumers to stop, engage and turn on their sound." Data from Facebook research shows Butterfinger "has good reason to fine-tune its video for the platform." The social network claims that 45% of people "who watch the first three seconds of a video go on to watch at least 30 seconds," and 65% of folks "view at least 10 seconds of a clip" (ADWEEK.com, 2/3).

CAREFUL WITH YOUR MONEY: INC magazine's Zoë Henry wrote when "thinking about the Super Bowl, topics like online lending or tech-enabled tax solutions don't exactly come to mind," but that is "about to change this weekend, though, thanks to the five financial service companies that have secured a coveted 30 or 45-second ad slot during the big game." TurboTax VP/Communications Julie Miller said, "The Super Bowl is incredibly timely for our business." But Miller also "concedes that distilling TurboTax's business model and price structure into a 30-second slot is tricky, which is why the company chose to focus on specific aspects of the software." Quicken Loans' ad for its Rocket Mortgage "looks at the macro-economic impact of securing a mortgage." Quicken Loans President & CEO Jay Farner said that the company was "careful to steer clear of the 'fear' tactic, preferring to focus on the positive implications of what the software might do for families and communities" (INC.com, 2/3).

LAST CHANCE OPPORTUNITY: In Toronto, Ashante Infantry notes ads "cost significantly less during the CTV broadcast" of the Super Bowl, but this "may be the last hurrah for national brands to showcase themselves on advertising’s marquee night." The Canadian Radio-television & Telecommunications Commission is ending the "simultaneous substitution of Canadian commercials over U.S. ads," beginning with next year's Super Bowl. Canadian advertisers "would still have the option of buying space on the CTV broadcast, but they would be reaching a much smaller audience on CTV, as Canadians would now be able to watch American channels with American commercials." Bell Media Senior VP/English TV & Local Sales Perry MacDonald said of the CRTC decision, "American companies would be handed additional exposure to millions of Canadian consumers at no additional cost while making it impossible for home grown businesses to participate in the most important advertising event of the year" (TORONTO STAR, 2/4).

BUY LOCAL: In Austin, Claudia Grisales reports San Antonio-based grocer H-E-B is "running a regional ad during the big game for the 10th straight year." This year’s 60-second spot "goes for emotional impact with scenic Texas views and narration" by actor Billy Bob Thornton (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 2/4). In Cleveland, Karen Farkas reports Kent State Univ. "will air its first Super Bowl commercial to promote its new brand, 'Undeniably Kent State.'" Meanwhile, the Univ. of Akron "for the first time in 16 years is not placing an ad" during the Super Bowl. The 30-second Kent State spot "will include portions of a two-minute video and will air in the Cleveland and Erie markets" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 2/4).