Did Detroit Just Win the Super Bowl?
Even a casual sportsball fan knows the Detroit Lions are paragons of futility when it comes to the most super of Sundays, having never so much as sniffed the sweet air of Super Bowl competition.
But we all know the real game on Sunday took place between the plays. And, this year, I’d submit Detroit showed up well. In fact, the Motor City’s biggest brands (and their agencies) may have pulled off a bit of an upset and won the ad game last night.
Consider these highlights:
GM / Norway
Will Ferrell refuses to lose the EV battle to Norway. It’s a fun spot with Ferrell at his most Will Ferrellest, mugging hard alongside Kenan Thompson and Awkwafina for GM’s ‘Everybody In’ campaign. Not revolutionary in and of itself, but a Big Three brand going all-in on an electric future surely is.
Rocket Mortgage / Certain
With creative pulled off by the Super Bowl gunslingers at Highdive in Chicago, this work leans hard on Tracy Morgan. As it should. The dude can’t miss, and these spots further push Detroit’s Rocket Mortgage to the front of that increasingly-crowded category.
GM / Edgar Scissorhands
Real life is hard for Timothee Chalamet’s Edgar Scissorhands. He’s vexed by salads, mass transit and games of catch. Mom Winona Ryder saves the day with a hands-free Cadillac Lyriq. For fans of the Tim Burton film, this spot, a collab from Burnett/Chicago and Detroit, hits all the right notes and helps double-down on GM’s commitment to an all-EV future.
?Jeep / The Middle
Superbly shot and written. Now, add Jeeps. And America. And Bruce Springsteen.
Look, there was funnier, wackier work that connected last night: Paramount+ and Amazon Alexa spring to mind. And maybe I’m a lifelong Detroiter who is slurping the hometown Faygo with too much gusto, but I think this just might have been our year.
So congrats, Detroit.
Parade down Woodward, to be scheduled.
Love the Will Farrell spot. This is great. Good laugh. The only super bowl spot I have watched yet because I already know the rest most likely are lacking. I always say to my music and dev work mates, "Sweden has been kicking are butts in pop music for years {https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Martin} are we really gonna let them do that to us with code too?" A solid 9 out of 10. The reason for the 9 is, I'm told you to need to walk on water to be a 10. The Jeep spot is a flash back to 911 "keep America rolling" Gm spots, but with a Bruce tie in. Buying a Jeep and driving to Kansas will not fix anything. Disappointed they are using the divide in this country to sell a product. I would have advised against this adv. approach, and against paying a boat load to Springsteen to deliver such an awkward message just to move jeeps off the lots.
VP, Executive Producer @ The Martin Agency | Cake Connoisseur
3 年Other than Tracy Morgan there was zero diversity in these spots. I’d love to see the agency credits and crew list too. It’s been a Detroit epidemic forever. (I’ve worked in the market twice and expected more from my hometown on my 2nd tour. Nope.)
Principal at PitBull Consulting
3 年Perfectly said ... thank you!!
Well said David Bierman
Retired Police Officer at Wayne County Michigan
3 年Bruuce.....