Mercedes-Benz has become the "first automaker to confirm an ad buy" for Super Bowl LIII -- one year after the automaker decided it was "sitting it out," according to E.J. Schultz of AD AGE. M-B has been an "intermittent Super Bowl advertiser," running ads in '17, '15, '13 and '11. With this season's game taking place in Atlanta, the automaker's return "seemed inevitable." M-B has "called the city home" since '15, when it relocated its U.S. HQ from New Jersey. That same year, M-B "inked a 27-year naming rights deal for the new Atlanta stadium." Last season, 11 auto commercials ran during the Super Bowl "featuring six brands" (ADAGE.com, 11/9).
IN VINO VERITAS: ADWEEK's Kristina Monllos noted Australia-based wine brand Yellow Tail will return to the Super Bowl for the third straight year with a 30-second spot "using the same regional buy strategy that has helped it get around" A-B InBev's "exclusive rights to air ads in the alcohol category during the Super Bowl." Yellow Tail is "asking fans to post six-second videos on Instagram and Twitter by Nov. 28 with hashtags" about "what makes them happy." The brand "will use two videos produced entirely by fans in the ad it runs during the Super Bowl." The company "plans to spend" $6M on Super Bowl activities this year. It is "unclear" when the spot "will air or where it will air" (ADWEEEK.com, 11/9).
