By Peter M. DeLorenzo
Detroit. Yes, another Super Bowl marketing extravaganza is in the books. And per usual, the spots ran the gamut from tearjerkers to awkward product reaches, and from welcomed, laugh-out-loud creativity to a sober, political plea for unity.
Longtime readers of this website know about my background in advertising. It began as a noble pursuit for me, an exhilarating, high-wire act fueled by a passion for creativity in an arena revolving around the idea of flat-out going for it. All the time. At least that was the case at the beginning of my career. There was a camaraderie in being on the lowest rung of the totem pole in the creative department at a big-time ad agency. You worked relentlessly hoping for a morsel of positive reinforcement from the creative elders, and if all else failed, the parties were wild and memorable.
But nothing lasts forever, and the ad biz devolved into a cacophony of sycophants, spineless weasels and mediocrity peddlers, and that was just on the agency side of things. The client side was exponentially worse. And by a lot.
Which is why I started this website almost 22 years ago, because I had a lot to say about the Ad Biz and the Auto Biz, and still do.
But I can’t deny it; I still love parts of the business, because when it’s “on” there’s nothing better or more satisfying. Sure, a lot of it was like waiting around the firehouse “on call” in-between fires; then, when a life-or-death assignment came up, you’d work for 20 days straight and think nothing of it. In fact, that was the most intoxicating part of the business.
I’m offering this perspective for a reason, because I have the utmost respect for the creative teams, account teams and production houses responsible for the work I am going to discuss today. The Ad Biz is a singular pursuit that requires passion, diligence and an overwhelming desire to do great work. With this in mind then, let’s begin…
First off, I will mention a few non-auto commercials. I really liked the Cheetos spot with Mila Kunis and Ashton Kucher, and the “Drake from State Farm” spots. And I should mention that I can’t for the life of me figure out why the USA Today Ad Meter rated the Rocket Mortgage spots No. 1 and No. 2. I mean, really? As in, WTF? Mediocrity is bliss, apparently. Not Good.
Now for the car spots. The Toyota ad about U.S. Paralympic Champion Jessica Long, the second most decorated Paralympian in history, called “Upstream” ripped your heart out and stomped on it emphatically at the end. As Toyota PR minions presented it: “The 60-second spot features Long swimming through milestone scenes over the course of her life, starting with a depiction of the Russian orphanage from which she was adopted. The camera then cuts to her parents (played by actors) receiving the emotional call that they would be adopting a baby girl, but with the news that her legs would need to be amputated due to a rare condition. The scenes following show a young swimmer depicting Jessica, hands on hips ready to compete, knowing she’s different from other children, yet remaining resilient. The spot continues with Jessica competing in her quest to greatness, overcoming all obstacles as she becomes a Paralympic legend.”
“Perseverance, grit and overcoming the odds contributed to my success and my hope is that people feel inspired and uplifted by this emotional spot,” Jessica Long commented. Mission accomplished.
Next up? GM delivered a spot starring Will Ferrell (with Kenan Thompson and Awkwafina). The premise of “No Way, Norway” hinges on the fact that Norway has more EVs in its fleet (over 50%) than the U.S. – by a long shot – and Ferrell decides to do something about it. The spot is hilarious, and it features the upcoming Cadillac Lyriq (with a cameo by the Hummer EV super truck at the end). The spot helps project the fact that GM plans on bringing 30 EVs to market globally by 2025, and that its new Ultium battery platform will be one of the most advanced in the world. That the spot is completely unexpected from GM makes it resonate even more, and it is calculated to change the perception of the company going forward as it begins the corporate transition to EVs. It works extremely well, and it signifies that the “new” GM has a pulse and is willing to have fun while reinventing itself, which is a clear departure from its past.
The other spot from GM was “Edgar Scissorhands,” a story continuation of Tim Burton’s “Edward Scissorhands” (from 1990), which again uses the upcoming Cadillac Lyriq EV, only this time to demonstrate its Super Cruise hands-free driver assistance feature. The spot stars Timothée Chalamet, as Edward Scissorhands’ son, Edgar, and Winona Ryder, reprising her role as Kim, who is also Edgar’s mother. In the spot, Edgar, who has inherited his father’s shears for hands, finds many of life’s tasks difficult. To make them a little easier, Kim presents him with a new Cadillac Lyriq with Super Cruise, which allows him to confidently let go of the wheel – and not trash the interior – when the system is engaged.
Though not nearly as successful as the Will Ferrell spot, “Edgar Scissorhands” has its place. Critics jumped all over it with their talking points revolving around the fact of “why use nostalgia to sell an advanced new EV with an advanced new feature” or something like that. I can see that perspective, at least somewhat, but until Cadillac makes serious inroads with attracting younger buyers – which it is beginning to do – a large portion of its buyers – of a certain age – will enjoy this spot because they loved the original film. So, it works.
And for what it’s worth, Tim Burton, who approved the ad concept, weighed in: “It’s rare when a work you’re proud of continues to live on and evolve with the times, even after 30 years. I’m glad to see Edgar coping with the new world! I hope both fans and those being introduced to Edward Scissorhands for the first time enjoy it.” So, there’s that.
The final spot I am going to talk about today is the latest epic from FCA’s (I mean Stellantis) Olivier Francois for Jeep, called “The Middle," featuring Bruce Springsteen. Make no mistake about it, this “spot” isn’t an ad at all. Rather, it’s a two-minute political film ostensibly about bringing the country together. Francoise courted Springsteen’s manager, Jon Landau, on-and-off for ten years trying to get Bruce to agree to be in a commercial, but the answer was always a hard “no.” But when Francois shared an idea by the Doner ad agency, the answer this time was “yes.”
It is a beautifully shot (by Thom Zimny) and brilliantly written (by Michael Stelmaszek, with extensive editing by Bruce himself) mini-film, featuring Bruce’s voice over and with music produced by Ron Aniello. Shot in and around the geographical center of the Continental United States in Kansas, and in other locations – using Springsteen’s personal Jeep to great effect – the mini-film plaintively exhorts America to come together, for the good of the country.
But again, it isn’t a commercial; it is almost a continuation and very much in keeping with some of Bruce’s appearances in political spots for the Democratic party last fall. Landau, when asked by Chris Jordan, of the Asbury Park Press, why Bruce decided – for the first time ever – to do the spot, said:
“It was the right idea at the right time. It also helped that once we agreed to do it, Jeep let us work the way we always do. They hired our favorite director, Thom Zimny, our favorite cinematographer, Joe DeSalvo, and our favorite music collaborator, Ron Aniello. There was no difference between how “The Middle” was made and how he made “Western Stars” and (“Bruce Springsteen's Letter to You”). Bruce was intimately involved with every detail and personally approved every single shot.”
So, there you have it. Francois finally got Bruce Springsteen to appear in a commercial that wasn’t a commercial at all, and a Jeep was in it to make sure we knew it was supposed to be about Jeep (it wasn’t). But it was a grandiose undertaking that resonated with some and probably alienated the far right (which was a very good thing now that I think about it). But there was one glaring problem at the end of the spot. The map of the United Stated omitted the Upper Peninsula of Michigan; it was nowhere to be seen. And this from a Detroit-based ad agency? WTF, ladies and gentlemen.
And that’s the High-Electron Truth for this week.