THIS year’s Super Bowl advertisers are steering clear of everything from politics to the #MeToo movement, and coming up with funny ads featuring big name stars that won’t offend anyone.
The goal is to capture the attention of the 111 million-plus viewers expected to tune in on Sunday when the Philadelphia Eagles take on the New England Patriots.
Camera Icon Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, right, celebrates with Derek Barnett. Picture: AP Camera Icon New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12). Picture: AP
Thirty-second advertising slots are going for more than $US5 million ($6 million) each.
Advertisers seem to have learned from last year when ads that tackled political issues fell flat.
PepsiCo brands Doritos Blaze and Mountain Dew Ice are showcased in two 30-second linked spots showing Morgan Freeman and Peter Dinklage in a lip-synch rap battle.
In a Pringles ad, Bill Hader has a snack on set and introduces a made-up practice dubbed “flavour stacking”, in which he mixes and matches different Pringles varieties.
M & Ms enlisted Danny DeVito to embody what happens when a red M & M becomes a person after wishing on a lucky penny.
Keanu Reeves surfs on his motorcycle through the desert in an ad for Squarespace.
Chris Elliott lives in a bio dome to tout avocados from Mexico, while Stranger Things star David Harbour shows up in Tide’s commercial.
“We’re exposed to so much constant negativity,” said Andy Goeler, a marketing executive at Bud Light.
“Delivering something just light hearted and fun is the root at what beer is all about.”
The beer brand’s two spots showcase a mythical kingdom a la Game of Thrones centred on Bud Light and the catchphrase “Dilly Dilly.”
Amazon’s 90-second fourth-quarter ad stars a bevy of celebrities who stand in for the voice of Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant: singer Cardi B, Australian actress Rebel Wilson, star chef Gordon Ramsey and even actor Anthony Hopkins putting a Hannibal Lecter spin on things.
Leading up to the halftime show, Pepsi’s ad references past celebrities who have appeared in classic Pepsi Super Bowl ads: Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, Cindy Crawford and others.
Only two Super Bowl ads sidle up to political issues.
Coca-Cola’s 60-second ad features varieties of Coke quaffed by women, men and a person who uses the “they” pronoun.
“There’s a Coke for he, and she and her and me and them,” a voiceover states.
The ad also features a bi-racial couple and a person in a wheelchair.
On the other hand, WeatherTech, which makes interior car products, has a staunchly pro-American approach in its ad, which shows the construction of a factory “right here in America. Isn’t that the way it is supposed to be?”