Best Super Bowl TV Ads Entertain with Star and Car Power
Competition between auto brands is heating up, as illustrated by the star-studded auto commercials that aired during Sunday’s Super Bowl 50. Buick, Mini, and Toyota used drama and humor to create memorable spots. Hyundai aired novel spots featuring advanced technology. Acura and Audi brought fantasy to the Super Bowl with spots for “halo” models: the new Acura NSX ("What He Said") and Audi R8 ("Commander").
Among the best-received commercials by media critics was Toyota’s “The Longest Chase”—a 90-second spot featuring the redesigned 2016 Toyota Prius in a skit with four blundering bank thieves who highjack a new Prius to be pursued in a high-speed police chase showing off the car’s agility and driving range.
Hyundai was praised for its “Ryanville” commercial illustrating technology—auto emergency braking with pedestrian detection. Ryan Reynolds adds “distraction” power to show off the feature’s safety assistance. “The Chase,” another Hyundai spot touting the company’s automatic start and talking bears was popular, and Christopher Walken delivered lines about the “ones who stand out” with a 2016 Optima in “Walken Closet Big Game.” Kevin Hart’s portrayal of a psycho dad and his Car Finder app in a Genesis spot also garnered millions of views.
“The Many Faces of Jeep” used black and white portraits of stars, singers, and “ordinary people” creating patriotic memories to celebrate the brand’s 75th anniversary. Another Detroit brand—General Motors’ Buick—aired its first Super Bowl spot. New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. attended a wedding, just as the new Cascada convertible pulls up for bride and groom, surprising guests.
Honda’s “A New Truck to Love” announced the return of the Ridgeline pickup for 2017 with sheep singing a rendition of Queen’s “Somebody to Love,” promoting the truck bed audio system. Mini crossed boundaries with “#DefyLabels,” pairing the Mini with 6 ft., 10-in. baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson and tennis great Serena Williams, among others. The ad, which ends with “This car doesn’t care what you call it,” received 20.8 million hits online, AdAge reports.
Abstract:
Competition between auto brands is heating up, as illustrated by the star-studded auto commercials that aired during Sunday’s Super Bowl 50.
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