Super Bowl

Chevy Silverado emerges from Apocalypse in Super Bowl commercial, Ford doesn't

General Motors has opted for a campy tact in its Super Bowl commercial touting the 2012 Chevy Silverado. With Barry Manilow’s hit single “Looks Like We Made It” from 1976 as the theme, a man drives his Chevy Silverado through an apocalyptic world predicted by the Mayan calendar. A group of friends, who are Silverado owners, makes its way to the designated meeting spot but notice one of their buddies is missing. One of the survivors offers the Chevy Silverado driver a Twinkie upon his arrival. The 60-second commercial is called “2012” and it will be broadcast in the first quarter of Super Bowl 46 between the New York Giants and New England Patriots. Unfortunately, not everyone makes it to

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Super Bowl commercials: Jerry Seinfeld, Darth Vader, singing dogs all selling cars

Bolstered by Volkswagen's clever presence of a young child dressed in a Darth Vader outfit, automakers made a big comeback last year in Super Bowl advertising. And carmakers will combine in this year's extravaganza as the largest-spending industry. Volkswagen will return different Darth Vadar and Star Wars' takes this year. Acura, Audi, Chrysler, Kia, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Lexus and Toyota, among other auto-related companies, will also advertise and will be among the sold out 70 commercial spots in the Feb. 5 game between the New York Giants and New England Patriots. Commercial positions for this year's Super Bowl were already taken by late last November, with one slot reportedly selling for $4 million. Ad sales during the Super Bowl, according

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Super Bowl commercials: Hyundai Genesis helps save 'heart-attack' victim

Hyundai will join more than a dozen other carmakers and automotive-related companies advertising via expensive commercials in the Super Bowl. In its “Think Fast,” commercial, a 30-second spot scheduled for the fourth quarter of the game between the New York Giants and New England Patriots, the character Bob is introduced. In the commercial, a young professional is driving his boss, Bob, a seasoned business pro, in his Genesis Coupe R-Spec. Bob is about to deliver a “pearl of wisdom” when he falls unconscious. The young driver hits the brakes hard, then throws his Genesis Coupe into drive repeatedly, generating enough force to revive Bob. The businessman then delivers his piece of advice unphased by his apparent health scare. In its

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Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno battle for Acura supremacy in Super Bowl commercial

Jerry Seinfeld reportedly has one of the world’s finest Porsche collections; Jay Leno’s automotive passion includes more than 150 vehicles. And now Leno in the ficticous world of Super Bowl commercials has the first Acura NSX. In a one-minute Acura commercial, set to air Feb. 5 in Super Bowl XLVI, Seinfeld is so excited about the new Acura NSX he’ll stop at nothing to acquire the first one. Shy of offering the apparent owner of the No. 1 Acura NSX the moon, Seinfeld finally has the guy won over with his access to his private ziplines through the Manhattan skyline. Until, of course, Leno suddenly appears in his flying suit. He gets the keys to the car and swoops away

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Honda, Matthew Broderick team for Ferris Bueller homage Super Bowl commercial

About a quarter century after Matthew Broderick debuted in his now cult classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off, the veteran Broadway actor and Honda have collaborated on a 2 1/2-minute homage to the movie for a Super Bowl commercial touting the 2012 Honda CR-V. In the 1986 film, a high school wise guy (Bueller played by Broderick) is determined to have a day off from school, despite of what the principal thinks of that. To celebrate the launch of the all-new 2012 CR-V, Honda brought Ferris Bueller's Day Off back. The carmaker has featured Broderick skipping out on a day of acting work and living it up in his all-new CR-V. As Honda describes: "Think you're a true fan of Ferris

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Super Bowl commercials: Fangs, blood and exploding vampires showcase Audi S7

Few cultural curiosities are bigger than Twilight or the fascination with all things vampire. Even Audi likes the world of fangs and blood and evil, and it's featuring the vampire theme in its Super Bowl commercial for the Audi S7. In the one-minute video, the driver of the Audi arrives at the forest campfire with a supply of blood in the driver's seat. But after he parks the car and his friends begin to greet their friend, daylight — the curse of vampires — appears from the Audi's front lights. One at a time, the vampires "explode." The commercials is likely to appeal to vampires and Twilight fans around the globe. Otherwise, likely, not so much. James RaiaA sports, travel

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Super Bowl commercials: Suzuki, dogs exchange sled for hip ice trip in Kizashi

Suzuki, following Volkswagen and Chevrolet, has premiered its Super Bowl commercial well in advance of the Feb. 5 football game that also serves as television's most expensive day of commericals. The one-minute Suzuki commercial, like Volkswagen's, features dogs, and it's entitled "Sled." The ad, which emphasizes the premium features and unique all-wheel-drive prowess of the 2012 Kizashi sport sedan, marks the second consecutive year Suzuki will advertise during the Super Bowl. In 2011, the brand featured its popular "Wicked Weather" spot during the big game. Volkswagen recently coninuted in Stars Wars theme commericals, this time with dogs barking the famous movie's theme song. Developed by El Segundo, Calif.-based advertising agency Siltanen & Partners Advertising, Suzuki's “Sled” television spot illustrates the

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Volkswagen goes to the dogs in Stars Wars homage Super Bowl commerical

Volkswagen may have outdone itself. As if fathers and sons and Darth Vader and Star Wars weren’t the perfect combination for one of the most popular Super Bowl commercials in history, how about dogs playing Star Wars characters and barking the famous movie’s ominous theme song? Last year, the “Mini Darth Vader” commercial was the outright favorite in the Super Bowl. It’s generated more than 40 million page views on VW’s YouTube channel. This year, VW has produced a video for a video of its television commercial “The Bark Side.” It will be broadcast in the third quarter of the Super Bowl on Feb 5. The carmaker has replaced the child dressed like Darth Vader with several dogs in custom

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Hyundai, Kia, VW, GM all back in sold out Super Bowl commercial spotlight

The most coveted and most expensive advertising platform, the Super Bowl, is sold out. And for the auto industry that means welcome back Volkswagen, GM, Toyota, Hyundai and Kia — among other auto-related sponsors. According to a report in USA Today, all 30-second slots, which cost a record $3.5 million each, were purchased by the end of last November. Seth Winter, senior vice president of sales and marketing at NBC’s sports group, told the newspaper, “We have shattered any recent revenue stories in regards to the Super Bowl.” Last year, Volkswagen had two of the most popular Super Bowl commercials, including the Darth Vader spot in which a boy in the super villain’s attire believes he can start his parents’

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Darth Vader briefly rules for young boy, VW in Super Bowl

There’s not much better in life than the relationship between father and son, particularly if the father can help his son realize the powers of Darth Vader during the Super Bowl. And so it was for the automaker while promoting the 2011 Volkswagen Passat during the Green Bay Packers’ victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. During the commercial, the son, dressed in Darth Vader attire, can’t get the family dog, a doll, a sandwich, a treadmill to react or the family’s washer and dryer to operate despite persistent attempts to engage “The Force.” When the boy (actor Max Page, age 6) hears his father’s arrival home in his new Passat, he rushes to the front yard to

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Hyundai touts 2011 Elantra with 'hypnosis' in Super Bowl

Hyundai took some risk with its Super Bowl XLV commercials, and the Korean automaker fared well with its spots promoting the 2011 Hyundai Elantra. In the 30-second "hypnotized" commercial, and as Time.com describes it: "The windshield wipers churn and the thwack, thwack, thwack becomes the ad's soundtrack. The pavement churns, the bridge towers, the streetlights blink by overhead, the bobblehead rabbit nods along." The voice over then begins: "Have we been hypnotized to believe compact cars are good enough?" Like its other Super Bowl commercials, the "hynotized" spot works on several levels: It's visually appealing, has a message, isn't pretentious or patronizing and promotes Hyundai's 40-mpg compact car. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years,

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Volkswagen goes buggy with Super Bowl Beetle commercial

The new 2011 Beetle is never seen, but Volkswagen likely had the most compelling 30-second car commercial in Super Bowl XLV replete with speeding insects and a cover version of the Ram Jam classic rock anthem “Black Betty.” The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion covers the famed Black Betty tune while Volkswagen simultaneously markets its new Beetle. In the high-paced commercial an insect (beetle) races through the forest, on the highway and then in a power slide like Volkswagen is hoping the new Beetle will do. The ad’s final frame provides a tease to what the new Beetle may look like. Volkswagen‘s more extensive advertising campaign for the new Beetle is expected soon. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for

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Chrysler 200 gets Detroit, Eminem props in Super Bowl ad

Eminem isn’t prone to pitching products, but beyond the football players and the Black Eyed Peas, the rapper arguably got the most exposure Sunday in his duties in a mini-movie for Chrysler as well as lending his name and Claymation image to Brisk ice tea. In the second of his two commercials, Eminem promotes the new Chrysler 200 during an homage of Detroit images and testimonials to those who live and work in the beleaguered city. The two-minute ad, reported the most expensive Super Bowl spot in history (an estimated $9 million), begins with images of the city appear. The grisly voice over (Kevin Yon) starts with: “I gotta question for ya. What does a town that’s been to hell

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Super Bowl commercials: Kia Optima captured by aliens

Kia Motors America is among eight auto manufacturers with ad campaigns in Super Bowl XVL, and it will feature a 60-second spot called “One Epic Ride.” In the commercial, people across space and time – from a police officer and an international villain to aliens and an ancient chief – will go to great lengths to snatch the all-new Optima from the clutches of others and put themselves behind the wheel. The Optima becomes an object of desire, and even Poseidon, the king of the sea, does his best to get his hands on the car. Created by David&Goliath, “One Epic Ride” the commercial, according to Kia, “Demonstrates the extreme measures people will go to get their hands on a

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Super Bowl commercials: Suzuki Kizashi drives away from wicked snowmen attack

Suzuki will participate in Super Bowl advertising for the first time and it’s chosen its highly touted all-wheel-drive 2011 Suzuki Kizashi (pronounced “Kee-Zah-Shee”) as the subject of a 30-second spot called “Wicked Weather.” The commercial, scheduled for broadcast in Suzuki‘s top 14 markets, hopes to “communicate Kizashi’s AWD USP in markets where all-wheel drive inspires driver confidence in handling winter’s inclement weather,” according to Suzuki spokesperson. The commercial begins with an AWD Kizashi accelerating along a snow-filled mountain road. In quick order: * The driver is startled by a snowball that strikes the driver-side window of his Kizashi. * The man looks in his rearview mirror and notices an evil snowman throwing snowballs. * Following a barrage of snowballs, the

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Super Bowl commercials: Hot Miss Evelyn drives a Chevy Camaro

Chevrolet‘s new motto: “Chevy Runs Deep” has received mixed reviews. But all is now forgiven. In the onslaught of car manufacturers participating in ad campaigns in Super Bowl XLV, Chevy goes to the top of the list with this one-minute spot about teacher, “Miss Evelyn” driving a 2011 Chevy Camaro. The commercial features two friends fantasizing about the perfect car commercial. They have the new Camaro and it’s blazing through the desert. It’s dodging bales of hay in big-city traffic. It’s eluding bad guys and motorcycles and a helicopter. And all along it’s being driven by a few different fantasy women, including a redhead, Miss Evelyn. At the end of commercial, the Camaro has flown through the air after jettisoning

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