The Most Electrifying Ads From Super Bowl LVI
With the help of extravagant productions and superstar celebrities, major OEMs across the industry took the chance to highlight their respective EV programs.
It’s safe to say that Super Bowl Sunday is one of the biggest spectacles of the year. Across the US alone, there is an average of over 100 million viewers of the event in the past decade. This year’s game is expected to be the most-watched Super Bowl of all time with an estimated 117 million viewers.
Of course, auto manufacturers across the world are well aware of this once-a-year advertising opportunity. However, to no surprise, the price of a 30-second slot during the game has increased to an all-time high of $6.5 million, according to NBC.
The consensus agenda from the industry this year was obvious from the start: showing off their latest respective electric offerings and technologies. So, were OEMs able to impress us enough to get their money’s worth this time around?
We have to say that some ads definitely roused a reaction more than others. We will cover a couple of our favorites, each of which interested us for different reasons. Let’s get into it!
Chevy
The American powerhouse automaker was one of the first to shock us with their double-sized slot jam-packed with nostalgia. Currently, the commercial sits as the topmost trending ad of the Super Bowl on YouTube.
We are greeted by a frame-by-frame perfect reenactment of the iconic “Sopranos” opening theme, even featuring cameos by the original cast. Authentic as it gets, Chevy actually teamed up with the original creator of the show, David Chase, to film the new commercial.
However, this time the vehicle featured is the latest and greatest Chevy has to offer, the all-electric Silverado. Combining a little bit of the old with the new. A lot of people are enjoying this one and we have to agree, this was a faithful recreation.
Polestar
Volvo’s newcomer experimental electric luxury brand, Polestar, definitely left a smirk look on our faces by the end of their premier commercial slot. Coming out swinging in a no-frills 30 second bit, Polestar calls upon no famous names or fancy production to convey a message.
Instead, within the first 5 seconds, they directly call out Volkswagen’s “dieselgate” scandal and less than 5 seconds after, call out Tesla with the statement “No conquering Mars” in their production dubbed “No Compromises”.
Without a doubt, the Swedish brand has ultimate confidence in its product and is happy to put that confidence on display. Not far off from what an Apple commercial would look aesthetically.
We like the brazenness of the young company and are excited to see if they can continue to both walk the walk with the new “No.2” or Polestar 2.
Kia
The Korean company went for the double-sized slot this year and we have to say it was a story worth telling. We have to say we are suckers for adorable robo dogs and one happens to be the protagonist of this ad.
A lonely idle robo dog sitting on a store shelf finds itself completely enamored with its electric connection of the brand new EV6 charging outside of the store. As the owner suddenly drives away, the robo dog begins a desperate search for the new Kia.
Just before nearly being turned into a heap of scrap metal during the climax of his search, the robodog is saved by the owner of the EV6 with a quick charge.
Now together, they drive away, the robo dog fulfilled and happily waving his little ears in the passenger seat. All set to Bonnie Tyler‘s Total Eclipse of the Heart, this ad is sure to tug a heartstring or two.
BMW
The only cinematic on this list to actually feature any big-budget names, the German luxury staple made sure you’d remember this year’s offering with a hilarious story. It features a notable Bavarian figure playing a “retired” Zeus, the Greek god of Thunder, cast away in sunny Palm Springs, California.
Realizing Zeus has become bored with the mundane state of electrical things on Earth, his not-so Bavarian wife, Hera, gifts the Greek god the all-electric BMW iX to renew his “spark”. They happily drive off singing along to “Electric Avenue” by Eddy Grant and all is well.
This is as literal as the message can get folks. They want to make sure there is absolutely no doubt that they manufacture electric vehicles!
What was your favorite EV-related ad of this year’s game? Let us know by joining the conversation here at EV Forums.