Hasta La Creative!

‘Carryout Tips’ campaign supports efficient fulfillment, repeat business and shelter from the labor crisis

The word game, released in October, has millions of daily users.

NBC Sports ad sales chief Dan Lovinger has devoted much of his attention over the past two years to selling advertising for NBCUniversal’s Olympic Games in Tokyo and Beijing–and he’ll now be focusing full-time on that part of the job. Lovinger has been promoted to president, NBC advertising sales and partnerships, and will step into…

After 10 years in London and a bit of career pause, Denny Tu joined IMAX in 2017 and for the past four and a half years, he’s served as IMAX’s chief marketing officer–a title he said he dreamed of his entire life. But, with great power comes great responsibility and expectations. “It’s a job that…

In social media marketing, where’s the line between being topical and embarrassing your brand? Looking back on some recent examples, Adweek reporter Emmy Liederman joins Yeah, That’s Probably an Ad co-hosts David Griner and Shannon Miller to discuss corporate cringe and how it can undercut your social strategy. Stream the new episode below, listen and…

The automaker’s upcoming Ioniq 5 EV was featured in the ABC sitcom “Black-ish” this month, with star Anthony Anderson working on an imaginary Super Bowl commercial.

I’m Ad Age Editor Jeanine Poggi, counting down to Super Bowl LVI. In the weeks leading up to the game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams, which will air on NBC on Feb. 13, Ad Age will bring you breaking news, analysis and first looks at the high-stakes, Big Game commercials—all in our Super Bowl newsletter. Sign up right here to get them in your email.

Two mayos 

Hellmann’s is returning to the Super Bowl with a spot that will once again tackle food waste. This time, Hellmann’s is tapping former linebacker and now coach Jerod Mayo to star in the commercial, Ad Age’s Jack Neff reports. As part of the spot, Unilever struck a licensing deal to pay homage to a series of Reebok short films that originally appeared in 2000 and became a well-remembered Super Bowl campaign in 2003.

Amy Schumer starred in last year’s ad for the Unilever brand. 

To keep track of all the advertisers running national spots in the game, bookmark Ad Age’s regularly updated Super Bowl ad chart. 

RSVP for Ad Age’s Super Bowl event on Feb. 8 at AdAge.com/InDepthSuperBowl.

Lots of teasing 

Hellmann’s is the latest brand to drop a teaser for its Big Game campaign. DraftKings also revealed its teaser and its new spokescharacter during Ad Age Remotely on Monday morning. Nissan and Kia, among others, also dropped teasers, over the past 24 hours. You can watch all the teasers released so far here. 

Sam’s Club spot

Sam’s Club debuted its Super Bowl commercial on Monday, making the big box retailer only the second brand to release its Big Game creative so far (Vroom pre-released its spot on Jan. 20). In the spot, Kevin Hart feels like he is getting a sneaky-good deal by using the Sam’s Club Scan & Go app, allowing him to avoid checkout lines. But what he doesn’t realize is the feature is available to everyone and not special for him because he is a celebrity.

Metabowl

Meta, you know the company we once called Facebook, gave its first tease into its Super Bowl commercial plans on Monday with the debut of virtual NFL merchandise for online avatars, Ad Age’s Garett Sloane writes. The update did not include a look at Meta’s Super Bowl commercial, but it was a clue that the spot would tie into the “metaverse.”  

Baby sighting

It seems E-Trade is gearing up to bring back its iconic baby. Eight years after the E-Trade baby was discontinued from the brand’s marketing, a teaser for the company’s Big Game commercial hints at his return thanks to a quick shot of a baby monitor, Ad Age’s Adrianne Pasquarelli writes. The spot is also named “Monitor.” 

The baby had been an E-Trade regular and Super Bowl favorite, appearing in Big Game commercials from 2008, when it debuted with “Talking Baby (Part 1),” through 2013 with “Save It.” 

You can watch all of E-Trade’s prior Super Bowl ads in our voluminous, searchable Super Bowl Ad Archive.

Dot-com era vibes

The Super Bowl commercials of the dot-com era could provide a warning to the cryptocurrency brands that are rushing into the Big Game this year, Ad Age’s Asa Hiken writes. These companies spent an average of $2.1 million for 30-second spots only for most to fade away soon after. Will we look back on the upstarts in the “Crypto Bowl” in another two decades with the same vague memory of their existence?

Hocus pocus

Eco-friendly canned water brand Liquid Death won’t air a Big Game spot but it will have an, erm, witchy presence in this year’s game. Liquid Death is sending a witch to SoFi Stadium to help out the underdog by casting spells to help them win. It’s placing a $50,000 bet on that team via Caesars Sportsbook, Creativity Editor Ann-Christine Diaz reports. A video from Liquid Death announced that it is the first brand to bet on the game.

Super gadgets

A self-mixing punch bowl that keeps score of the game and a cheese dispenser with enough squirts to feed 300 keg-standing tortilla-chip-eaters are among the gadgets brands are sending to Super Bowl party hosts in the run-up to the game, Ad Age’s Jon Springer writes. Captain Morgan’s Super Bowl punch bowl, which one fan will win, is helping the rum brand capitalize on the newly granted NFL sponsorship opportunities for liquor brands, which previously were unable to do marketing tied to the league. Hormel, in the meantime, created what it’s calling the world’s first chili-cheese keg. Containing 15 gallons of gooey spicy cheese, the keg keeps its contents warm with a proprietary adjustable internal heating element, and flowing via a tap handle in the shape of a Hormel Chili can. The device was invented by BBDO Minneapolis and will be delivered to the winner of an online sweepstakes. 

Social Bowl plays

Here’s a look at the latest Super Bowl marketing taking place on social platforms: 

Last year, Twitter printed fan tweets on pieces of confetti and released them during the Super Bowl. This year, the social platform will take some of the best fan predictions for the game and display them on SoFi’s LED roof. 

LikeMeat is sending football fans on a TikTok scavenger hunt for a chance to win tickets to the Super Bowl. The maker of plant-based chicken wings, among other products, is tapping influencers to reach beyond its core vegan consumer base to attract meat-loving football fans. LikeMeat is the latest brand this year to lean into the Super Bowl via TikTok and its base of influencers. 

Frank’s RedHot released an “edible NFT” and a spoof cryptocurrency it’s calling “Bonecoin.” Fans can scan images of their chicken wing bones to earn said Bonecoins and the one who accrues the most will win the Frank’s RedHot NFT and its edible replica—or the eNFT as the brand is calling it.

Just hours after the Super Bowl 2022 matchup was set between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams, warehouse retailer Sam’s Club released its full 30-second Big Game ad. Much like the teaser implied, the retailer’s first-ever Super Bowl spot, “Like a VIP,” features actor Kevin Hart enjoying an experience fit for a Hollywood…

Meta Monday detailed several updates to Avatars across its various platforms. The company began rolling out its updated 3D Avatars to Facebook, Instagram DMs, Instagram Stories and Messenger in Canada, Mexico and the U.S., and they can be used as feed posts, profile pictures, stickers and other elements. Meta Meta The worldwide rollout will take…