The Super Bowl XLVII has the Baltimore Ravens taking on the San Francisco 49ers in New Orleans. Half-time entertainment features a Pepsi-sponsored Beyonce (hopefully she sings without lip syncing). Root for your favorite team or moment, but know this: all along, the viewing audience is really tuning in to see the commercials.
Any why not? Every year the Super Bowl grows by leaps and bounds in popularity and viewership. You can expect the usual commercials: crude jokes, bikini babes, and plenty of adult beverage plugs.
Last year Farris Bueller went back to (old) school with Honda (Ferrari not included). Volkswagen harnessed the marketing power of the Force in its Star Wars themed parodies.
The past few years, advertisements planned for the Super Bowl are leaked well before kickoff. That’s understandable, with companies forking over 4 million for a 30-second spot, they want as much publicity as it can generate.
Here’s some of the best 2013 Super Bowl car commercials:
Gaspocalypse. An homage to the pre-celebrity Mel Gibson Mad Max franchise (’79-’85), this action bit features plenty of stunt car driving and wheelie-popping dirt bikes. A desert clan in clapped-out souped-up cars chases a Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. As expected, the gas hogs run out of fuel. There are a few alternate endings, one concluding with a “weekend warrior” joke and another letting those scary dudes in on the whole 2012 Mayan apocalypse being a tad off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mldum9YGNEs
Get in. Get Happy, mon! An office worker does his best to break up the Manic Mondays of his coworkers. His Jamaican accent channels a “Don’t worry, be happy” reggae vibe, though he’s a Minnesotan. Not as adorable as the past few years Star Wars ads, but it is funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H0xPWAtaa8#aid=P9DN5cu5d4I
Hot under the collar. A man yearns to be rich and famous. Willem Dafoe appears as the devil, his pointy fingers and claws offering a pen to sign a pact for his soul. Said loser imagines a red carpet entrance with super hot girl, dances and impresses Usher and club girls, lands on the cover of GQ, and even joins a car race in progress. Out the window, the youngster sees workers posting a billboard ad for the Mercedes CLA, which starts at under 30 grand. Knowing it’s affordable, by Mercedes standards, he passes on the devil’s deal. The Rolling Stones hit “Sympathy For The Devil” as the soundtrack is used to great effect.
http://www.youtube.com/user/mbusa/featured?v=oPNr0_6MnDo
Look but don’t touch. Note to nerdy self: when red haired Hotbots are showing off the car, don’t smear the windows or (literally) kick the tires. Hotbots turn, uh, red hot (with glowing eyes) and will snuggie your underpants over your head and kick you field-goal style into the wall. As the Kia Forte ad states, “Respect the Tech.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQe7Gd7Wl-A
Gas on the right! Remember, the left lane is the fast lane. Those who are driving slower (towing trailers full of saliva-spewing canines, nuclear missiles, toxic waste, etc), please move over. Another Hyundai Sonata commercial, but the Turbo adds some excitement to the go-pedal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iX_EWHyAwM
At the car wash. The ad starts off: “Kate Upton washes the new Mercedes CLA in slow motion.” Enough said, right? Well, Kate doesn't get down and dirty with the bubbles. Instead were teased by her supervising a team of football players (what else?).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzAWP9YQevc
Wished away. Kaley Cuoco (from TV show “Big Bang Theory”) is the Rav 4 Genie in this Toyota ad. She, along with her tiny dog, matching purple outfits and all, offers the Henderson Family anything they want. The wife wants to eat all the chocolate she wants, with doctor’s orders. One daughter wishes animals could talk, so a pair of squirrels heckle the dad. Another daughter becomes a princess conjuring an epic Braveheart battle scene. We all would wish for infinite wishes, but even the dad screws up that, too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzcogPhMueo
Honk, honk! Last year, Fiat released the sexiest commercial of the year with a nerd fantasizing about a stunning model. This year, another model is being hawked: The Fiat 500e (“e” for electric)… by a model, of course. This brunette test driver gets in and starts around the course, only to crash. Upon inspection, she is getting it on with her male co-driver. The car starts bouncing up and down, then honks, well… you get the picture.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNrb3XSayk0
Home at last. Back from being deployed, a veteran father narrates this commercial about his family being strong and missing time together. In a reference to Dodge’s former “Revolution” marketing campaign, the father and son are offered another chance to bond during a simple car ride to school. Not too exciting, but the Dodge Challenger R/T would add some fun to morning commutes. Wouldn't you like to be dropped off in that muscle car?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULvEgX11roY
Shall we dance? Your typical teen male going to prom… by himself. But wait, there’s more. The father gives him the keys (already getting better, thanks to the Audi). He parks in the principle’s parking spot. Crashes the party to kiss the prom queen. Gets punched by the prom king. The black eye was worth it. Audi offers multiple endings to be voted on, with the official winner airing during the game.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJOn3jG5tUk
Not all commercials are leaked before the Big Game, especially from the Detroit Automakers. For more details on further Super Bowl ads from, say, Chevrolet or Ford, stay tuned.
Also, the trailer for Fast and Furious 6, starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, is rumored to be released during the Super Bowl.
For more details on the Super Bowl, which airs at 5:30 P.M. Central (6:30 ET) on CBS, click here: http://www.cbs.com/
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