WeatherTech is making its return to the Super Bowl ad lineup on Sunday, and it is delivering an "uplifting, feel-good commercial," according to Kelly Meyerhofer of the WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL. WeatherTech will air a 30-second spot featuring the Univ. of Wisconsin's School of Veterinary Medicine during the second quarter. The spot will follow WeatherTech Founder & CEO David MacNeil's dog, Scout, on his "journey to recovery" after vets diagnosed an "aggressive cancer" that left him with no more than a month to live. The ad has "all of the elements needed" for an uplifting spot, including a "furry friend confronted with a grim diagnosis, hard-working heroes, a happy ending and a plug to donate to the cause." Viewers are "encouraged to donate to the school's cancer research efforts at weathertech.com/donate" (WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL, 1/29). AD AGE's Jeanine Poggi wrote WeatherTech's spot is a "nontraditional Super Bowl ad," as it "never mentions the company or its products." MacNeil said that he thought about taking the $6M that the company "spent on the Super Bowl ad and just giving it to the university." MacNeil: "But I think in this situation, using such an audience [the] Super Bowl has, we can amplify that investment into helping animals" (ADAGE.com, 1/27).
TUGGING ON THE HEARTSTRINGS: AD AGE's Poggi noted New York Life is another Super Bowl advertiser "taking a more serious tone" this year. The insurance company's spot, called "Agape," "explores the different types of love originating in the ancient Greek language," and shows "people doing selfless acts of love, like a wife washing her sick husband." The 60-second spot by Anomaly, N.Y., will "air between the first and second quarters" (ADAGE.com, 1/28). AD AGE's George Slefo noted Google also "aims to pull on the heartstrings while promoting search and its AI-powered Google Assistant smart speaker" in its Super Bowl spot. The spot, dubbed "Loretta," is about an elderly male widower "following the loss of his wife," who is "unsure how he should even begin." So, he "types his question into Google: 'how to not forget.'" The 90-second spot was created in-house (ADAGE.com, 1/28).
BUDWEISER BACKFIRE: In Charlotte, Price & Mar noted Budweiser's "Typical American" Super Bowl ad features video from the '16 Charlotte Uprising "civil unrest, when multiple businesses and tourist attractions were damaged." The footage is of a "peaceful moment during the protests, when San Diego-based 'peace activist' Ken Nwadike Jr. was seen offering hugs to police in riot gear." Charlotte City Council member Braxton Winston, who participated in the protests, said the commercial is "in bad taste." Budweiser Dir of Marketing Communications Eddie Moye said that the "intent of the commercial 'was not to trivialize anybody's actions' but to depict scenes 'that really show the American spirit' and, as in Nwadike's case in Charlotte, 'a moment of bravery.'" Moye said that the "setting of each scene in the commercial was irrelevant to why it was selected," and that the "individual actions are what is trying to be conveyed in the ad" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 1/29).
GETTING FIT: AD AGE's E.J. Schultz noted Michelob Ultra's "latest push to portray itself as post-workout beer involves putting Jimmy Fallon and John Cena in a Super Bowl ad." The 60-second spot also features cameos by Usain Bolt, Brooks Koepka, The Roots, and volleyball players Kerri Walsh Jennings and Brooke Sweat (ADAGE.com, 1/28). Fallon did his own stunts in the commercial, saying, "I was so sore. ... I lost 10 pounds doing that commercial" ("Today," NBC, 1/28).
CELEBRITY SPOTTING: ADWEEK's Ian Zelaya noted Avocados From Mexico released its sixth consecutive Super Bowl ad, which stars Molly Ringwald in her "first Super Bowl ad as an infomercial host who provides viewers with gifts to pamper their avocados." The "humorous 30-second spot, which will air during the second quarter, is titled 'The Avocados From Mexico Shopping Network,' inspired by shopping networks like QVC" (ADWEEK.com, 1/28). In Newark, Amy Kuperinsky noted in Mountain Dew's Super Bowl spot, Bryan Cranston "plays none other than Jack Torrance, the menacing writer from 'The Shining,'" alongside Tracee Ellis Ross as his wife, Wendy (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 1/28). In Wisconsin, Rachel Mergen noted actress Winona Ryder is starring in a spot for Squarespace that will air "between the first and second quarters." The ad, set in Winona, Minn., shows Ryder "sitting in the snow beside a Winona welcome sign" along with other activities around town (WINONA DAILY NEWS, 1/29).
DOLLARS & SENSE: FCB Worldwide CEO Carter Murray said despite the price tag for a 30-second ad, there have been "a lot of big brands" buying up 60-second spots. CNBC's Marcus Lemonis said a company is "looking at the overall ROI, not just the 30, 60 or 90 spot," and social media and YouTube have "really changed the way that they think about the total return on investment." Lemonis: "The landscape has changed" ("Power Lunch," CNBC, 1/28).
NOTES: Hershey is "making its Super Bowl ad debut" with a spot for it's Reese's Take 5 candy bar. The 30-second spot via McGarryBowen, N.Y., plays on the "idea that people aren't aware of Reese's Take 5" (ADAGE.com, 1/28)....Pringles released its "full Rick and Morty-themed Super Bowl ad," which "packs about as much of the show's dystopian charm into 30 seconds as possible" (ADWEEK.com, 1/28)....FedEx, a "major NFL sponsor," will not be "airing any commercials during Super Bowl LIV." For Super Bowl LIII last year, FedEx aired a 30-second spot, which "marked a return to Super Bowl commercials for FedEx, which ran 18 Super Bowl ads" from '89-'08 (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 1/28).
