NBC has five ads that "play like mini-movies and will run" on Super Bowl Sunday, with the point of the 60-second spots being to "tug heartstrings and drive audience" for the Pyeongchang Games that begin on NBC four days after Super Bowl LII, according to Erik Brady of USA TODAY. Each spot "features the life story" of one Olympian from a list that includes skiers Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn, figure skater Nathan Chen and snowboarders Chloe Kim and Shaun White. The ads will debut one at a time on NBC's "Today" on weekday mornings leading up to the Super Bowl and "through each of those days on a variety of other NBC platforms." Then, on Super Sunday, all five spots "will run pregame through postgame, including one on the episode of 'This Is Us'" that will air after Super Bowl LII. Taken together, NBC Sports Group CMO Jenny Storm said that the "value of these five spots, had they been sold to other companies is more than" $20M. The Super Bowl and the Winter Games have "not aired on the same network" since '92. NBC hired Anomaly, N.Y., to make the spots and Paul Hunter to direct (USA TODAY, 1/16).
BABY, YOU CAN DRIVE MY CAR: AD AGE's E.J. Schultz noted Toyota, which sat out last year's Super Bowl, "will make a big splash in this year's game with two 60-second spots," and its luxury brand Lexus also "will advertise in the game for the second year in a row." Lexus will "run a spot tied to Marvel's upcoming Black Panther superhero movie." Toyota's first ad "will air in the first quarter and plugs its new global Olympics sponsorship." The second spot will "run during halftime and be more vehicle-focused." Toyota sponsors NBC's Super Bowl halftime report and Toyota Motor North America VP/Division Marketing Ed Laukes said that they "will use the network's on-air talent to introduce the ad." Toyota's lead agency, Saatchi & Saatchi, L.A., did the creative on the ad. The Olympic spot "will continue the global campaign Toyota began in October called 'Start Your Impossible' that kicked off" its Olympic deal. Lexus' Super Bowl spot will plug its '18 LS sedan, but Lexus VP/Marketing Cooper Ericksen "declined to reveal the length of the spot, creative details or which agency would handle" the ad (ADAGE.com, 1/15).
BARGAIN HUNTING: The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Chris Gardner noted Groupon has named actress Tiffany Haddish as its "new spokesperson for a series of ads including the company's Super Bowl commercial, its first in seven years." As part of her deal, Haddish will "clue users in on some of her favorite Groupon categories." Creative for the 30-second spot -- airing during the fourth quarter -- is "being handled" by O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul, Chicago (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 1/15).
