Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa will appear in some way during Super Bowl LVIII as he is “heavily featured in a Paramount+ ad," according to David Furones of the South Florida SUN-SENTINEL. The ad starts with Tagovailoa “unable to throw a grappling hook far enough to reach a mountain peak that he and a handful of famous entertainers (real and animated) need to climb as they navigate a snowstorm.” He remarks that “if it were a football, he could throw the necessary distance” -- and it is then suggested by Sir Patrick Stewart that "he should throw Arnold, the boy with a football-shaped head from 1990s Nickelodeon cartoon 'Hey Arnold!'” Tagovailoa appears “open to allow the ad to poke fun at a few of the criticisms of his game in real life by agreeing to appear:” His throwing arm strength and ability to perform in cold weather. When Tagovailoa refuses to throw Arnold, Stewart challenges him: “Not built for the moment, I see” (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 2/1). In Newark, Amy Kuperinsky wrote add in some musical accompaniment from the band Creed, "thanks to some pitch-perfect comedic timing," the results "give us a pretty compelling entry for the best Super Bowl ads of 2024" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 2/1).
RUNNING IT BACK: AD AGE’s E.J. Schultz reported Verizon is returning to the Super Bowl after taking last year off and will “run in-game ads on CBS and in Univision’s Spanish-language broadcast of the Feb. 11 game.” This is "in addition to a Univision ad for Total By Verizon, the carrier’s prepaid wireless brand." Verizon, which is an official NFL sponsor, sat out last year’s game breaking a five-year streak of in-game ads. Verizon will take advantage of “one of the most unique marketing assets in the U.S. -- the Las Vegas Sphere.” Verizon is also planning on-the-ground marketing in Las Vegas (AD AGE, 2/1).
