Super Bowl commercials
Super Bowl commercialsThree car companies have vied for advertising honours at last week's XLVth American Super Bowl, the event traditionally a huge marketing coup for anyone with enough advertising spend to secure a slot.
Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen have each produced a number of commercials aired on Super Bowl Sunday with the manufacturers agreeing that advertising during the big game is key to pushing their new models in the US market.
Hyundai tells the story of "a hypnotised consumer mindset, conditioned to purchase compact cars for practicality and reliability, regardless of their uninspired design and limited innovation". The TVC joins an unbranded viral campaign that aims to reinforce the "Snap Out of It" theme.
The online short films discuss the "conspiracy" behind compact car hypnosis and invoke consumer curiosity, generating buzz-building momentum leading up to the Super Bowl.
"Over the years the Super Bowl has provided a great avenue for us to reach a significant audience, and this year we are expanding that reach by jumpstarting the campaign two weeks early during the AFC Championship game," said Hyundai America CEO, John Krafcik.
"Having a fully integrated campaign leading up to the Big Game next month will allow us to build a story that makes a dramatic statement befitting a break-through car like the all-new Elantra, which gives consumers license to expect more from the compact segment."
This year is Hyundai's fourth consecutive as a Super Bowl advertiser.
Mercedes-Benz
A classic Janice Joplin soundtrack, clever (almost believable) CGI imaging of classic Mercedes-Benz models and one very special guest cameo make Merc's Super Bowl ad one of those classic commercials people will talk about for years to come.
The 60-second spot (we've opted for the longer 'director's cut') is designed to celebrate Mercedes-Benz's 125th anniversary by heralding a wave of four new models, including the upcoming C-Class Coupe which isn't due for pubic release until next month's Geneva International Motor Show.
It's the first time Mercedes-Benz has advertised in the NFL final (and we think they've done a fantastic job).
Volkswagen
As you may have seen through the week, Volkswagen has taken a slightly different tack with its newest Passat ad, the Star Wars themed commercial a light hearted break from traditional driving sequences and serious voice-overs we're so accustomed to.
Volkswagen produced two commercials for the Super Bowl, one featuring the new Passat in a send up of "The Force" and the other teasing a silhouette of the new Beetle, even before its official launch, using the latest CGI sequences to show a "Black Bug" racing other insects.
"The Super Bowl is a TV event with one of the highest viewer totals in the world. We intend to take this opportunity to present our latest models to a very wide audience and to heighten the emotional associations of the Volkswagen brand," said VW's head of marketing, Luca de Meo.
"There are very few occasions when commercial spots can attract such levels of attention as at the Super Bowl. The originality of our commercials will help make the game an unforgettable TV experience."
Volkswagen says its Super Bowl activities are this year part of a comprehensive advertising campaign in the US in preparation of its launch of Passat and Beetle. On the viral side of things, VW plans a broad-based social media campaign with further activities planned on The Oprah Winfrey Show, in the National Basketball Association (NBA) finals and in the National Football League (NFL).
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