Adland's Super Bowl XLII Commercials Spoiler!

Update - we've updated this so much we had to make a new super bowl commercials spoiler post here..

If you want to be surprised come February 3rd, *do not* read more for the most detailed inside scoop we are able to provide. During the week we'll be updating this information as final Super Bowl commercial news comes to light, as it typically does as we close in on the finish line. We are posting the 2008 Super Bowl XLII commercials here already.

Inside you will find information on advertisers, agencies, directors, concepts and more.

Again - if you don't want to see this information - you don't have to - but you have been warned that clicking "read more" will definitely give you more.

UPDATED! - 01/28/08 @ 4.30pm EST, UPDATED! - 01/29/08 @ 7.30am EST, UPDATED! - 01/29/08 @ 11:15am EST, UPDATED! - 01/29/08 @ 3.35pm EST, UPDATED! - 01/29/08 @ 6.05pm EST, UPDATED! - 01/30/08 @ 6.53am EST, UPDATED! - 01/31/08 @ 7:15am EST, UPDATED! - 01/31/08 @ 10.15am EST
UPDATED! - 02/01/08 @ 7.23am EST

Pre-Game
SALESGENIE.COM - :30
Agency: creative:mint
Animation: Geoff Callan and Daniel Grace, Creative Mint, San Francisco
The concept and copy for the spot was created by Vin Gupta, founder and chairman of the company. The ad will feature animation.
Superadgrunts, see the spot below.



GM - CHEVROLET
Agency: Campbell-Ewald
Director/Production: Joseph Kosinski, Anonymous Content (possibly)
No creative information on the pre-game spots.



PEPSI - :60
Agency: BBDO
Director/Production: Baker Smith
In this silent spot, two guys drive to their friend Bob's house, but neither knows which house is his. They honk the horn and all the houses light up but one - Bob's. Bob is played by Clay Broussard, a supply and logistics manager at PepsiCo, who worked on the ad concept in his own time and after 18 months proposed the idea to senior management. Bob was inspired by his involvement in the deaf community. PepsiCo then had two of their deaf employees, Brian Dowling and Darren Therriault, play the other two parts. See the making of the ad here and superadgrunts, see the spot here.


First Quarter
AUDI OF AMERICA - :60
Agency: Venables Bell & Partners, San Francisco
Ad promotes the R8 sportscar and is the brand's first Super Bowl spot in 20 years. The ad will reference "The Godfather" and feature actor Alex Rocco, who portrayed the character of Moe Greene in the first Godfather. Audi of America said in a statement on Tuesday, "Audi selected The Godfather as a thematic foundation for its Super Bowl ad because the film expresses the idea of a new power rising in an established hierarchy." The spot was shot on location at the Fleur de Lys house in Los Angeles and will air only twice on television - once during the Super Bowl (as a :60) and once the following day, but as a :30.
Superadgrunts, See Audi's 1991 Super Bowl ad here.


CARS.COM - :30
Agency: DDB, Chicago
Director/Production: Matt Aselton, Epoch Films
The spot takes place at a dealership and ends with the tagline "Confidence comes standard." The ad ends with a "funny" "Plan B" the buyer had in mind if things went sour. The sneak peak below is titled "Stone Circle".

Superadgrunts, see the teasers below for "Witch Doctor" and "Stone Circle":



UNDERARMOR - :60
Agency: In-house
Director/Production: Ericson Core, Backyard Productions, Venice, CA
The spot will promote the upcoming release of its cross-trainer shoe. According to various resources, the spot will feature 27 athletes including Tom Zbikowski, Jeff Samardzija, Alfonso Soriano, Josh Vitters, and Cat Osterman.

Superadgrunts, see the spot below:

FEDEX - :45 (First Spot in 5th Ad Break of 1st Q)
Agency: BBDO, NY
“Carrier Pigeons” is set in an office environment and was finished in standard and high definition formats and was shot with standard film. It humorously shows what happens when an office clerk tries to handle his company shipping needs with carrier pigeons and chaos ensues. The ad will be posted on fedex.com immediately following the game. FX1, the FedEx internal television network will also run a behind the scenes special. The ad will go into the regular FedEx advertising rotation following the Super Bowl. Check out their teaser clip.



DORITOS - :60
Agency: Goodby Silverstein & Partners
"Crash the Super Bowl" contest spot will be a variation on the user-generated commercial. People were asked to create an original song and then the masses were able to vote on their favorite. The winning song will air as a professionally produced music video during the ad slot.


SALESGENIE.COM - :30
Agency: creative:mint
Animation: Geoff Callan and Daniel Grace, Creative Mint, San Francisco
The concept and copy for the spot was created by Vin Gupta, founder and chairman of the company. The ad will feature animation.
Superadgrunts, see the spot below:



GODADDY.COM - :30
Agency: In-House
Spot titled "Spot On"will feature a group of people watching the game and talking about the "Exposure" Danica Patrick ad that is only online and was not cleared by Fox for the word "beaver". CEO Parsons says "it's the funniest ad we've ever done." Sure thing, Bob-o. It's just as awful as the ads of yesteryear. I'm sure most of us in the ad world will be surprised by that though. ;-)
Superadgrunts, see "Spot On" and "White Light" below.



DELL COMPUTERS - :30 (Last Commercial Break of 1st Q)
Agency: Mother, NY
Director/Production: Samuel Bayer, HSI Productions
The company's first ever Super Bowl commercial will play off the "Yours is Here" campaign as well as introduce RED branded PCs and printers. The products went on sale on Thursday (Jan 24th) and can be viewed here. Under the (Red) program, Dell and Microsoft together will donate $50 for each of the XPS M1330 or XPS M1530 notebooks and $80 for each XPS One desktop sold.


BRIDGESTONE - :30 (Between First and Second Quarters)
Agency: The Richards Group, Dallas
AD: Shane Altman/ CW:Mike Bales
Director/Production: Kinka Usher, House of Usher
Ad promotes the tire's performance. Ad promotes the tire's performance and their "key messaging" that they are “for drivers who want to get the most out of their cars… it’s Bridgestone or nothing." . "Scream" shows a woman about to hit a squirrel.

Second Quarter
CAREERBUILDER.COM - :30
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, OR
Director/Production: Suthon Petchsuwan ,TWC OR/and Mike Mills, The Directors Bureau, Hollywood.
The Super Bowl will kick off the company's largest integrated campaign (including tv, outdoor, ambient "street art", grassroots promo events, etc) and uses a new tagline: "Start Building". Spots feature an overbearing boss, spider attacks, and mantra like phrases such as "If you don't like your job, then get a better one", "Self-help yourself", and "Wishing won't get you a better job."
Superadgrunts, see the teasers below for "Queen of Hearts" and "Firefly":

GARMIN - :30
Agency: In-House
During an NYC press conference yesterday, Garmin announced it's turning to Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte to shill it's Garmin Nuvi. The commercial features what seems to be a driverless vintage red Panhard PL17 automobile while the Nuvi offers directions from Paris through the French countryside. As lively French music plays in the background, viewers see an arm reach out to pay a toll. Observers in a small town watch as the car goes by. The Nuvi guides the car to a battle site, complete with troops on horseback. The car door opens, and the Napoleon steps out from behind the wheel. As his troops look on, the emperor hurriedly slips his Garmin into his coat, striking the classic Napoleonic pose in the process. The commercial ends as one of Napoleon’s aides brings up his horse — a small, white pony.

Superadgrunts, check out the spot:



GM - CHEVROLET/SATURN/GMC - :60
Agency: Campbell-Ewald
Director/Production: Joseph Kosinski, Anonymous Content
Originally going to air a spot for Chevy, GM is considering instead to feature one of their hybrid cars from one of the Chevy, Saturn or GMC lines.

For GMC - :60
Agency: Leo Burnett, Detriot
The spot features an animated short by Hungarian animator Marcell Jankovics that was nominated for an Academy Award back in the '70s. The ad--"Why Push?"--focuses on GMC's new hybrid gas/electric version of the Yukon full-sized SUV. The spot also bows a new theme line that will be introduced in a new brand effort next month: "Never Say Never."

The commercial starts with a black-and-white, constantly morphing drawing of a man, alternately muscular, sometimes merely a representation in lines, rolling a boulder up a hill. During his struggles, a voiceover says: "Why push? Why change? Why grow? Why dream? Questions you don't have to ask yourself. When you never say it's good enough. When you never say it can't be done. When you never... say never." The short shifts into images of a white Yukon hybrid and text, noting that the vehicle gets 50% better mileage.


TIDE TO GO - :30
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi
No news on the creative for this.


TOYOTA - :30
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi, LA
Director/Production: Jesse Peretz, RSA or Lance Acord of Park Pictures, NY
The spot shows off the updated Corolla and "features a humorous product demonstration".


T-MOBILE - :60
Agency: Publicis in the West, Seattle
Spot to feature T-Mobile myFaves service. Currently no further info.



WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY - :30
Agency: Draft FCB
In this spot a drug dealer complains about business being down because teens are turning to their parent's medicine cabinets to get high instead. The announcer ends with: "Teens don't need a drug dealer to get high, safeguard your prescriptions. Safeguard you teens."
Superadgrunts, see the spot now.


Third Quarter
BRIDGESTONE - :30
Agency: The Richards Group, Dallas
AD: Jeff Hopfer/ CW: Ron Henderson
Director/Production: Kinka Usher, House of Usher
Ad promotes the tire's performance and their "key messaging" that they are “for drivers who want to get the most out of their cars… it’s Bridgestone or nothing." "Unexpected Obstacles" features Richard Simmons working out in the middle of a road at night and Alice Cooper with an albino snake.

CARS.COM - :30
Agency: DDB, Chicago
Director/Production: Matt Aselton, Epoch Films
The spot takes place at a dealership and ends with the tagline "Confidence comes standard." The ad ends with a "funny" "Plan B" the buyer had in mind if things went sour.

Superadgrunts, see the teasers below for "Witch Doctor" and "Stone Circle":



SALESGENIE.COM - :30
Agency: creative:mint
Animation: Geoff Callan and Daniel Grace, Creative Mint, San Francisco
The concept and copy for the spot was created by Vin Gupta, founder and chairman of the company. The ad will feature animation.
Superadgrunts, see the spot below.



CAREERBUILDER.COM - :30
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, OR
Director/Production: Suthon Petchsuwan ,TWC OR/and Mike Mills, The Directors Bureau, Hollywood.
The Super Bowl will kick off the company's largest integrated campaign (including tv, outdoor, ambient "street art", grassroots promo events, etc) and uses a new tagline: "Start Building". Spots feature an overbearing boss, spider attacks, and mantra like phrases such as "If you don't like your job, then get a better one", "Self-help yourself", and "Wishing won't get you a better job."
Superadgrunts, see the teasers below for "Queen of Hearts" and "Firefly":



HYUNDAI/GENESIS - :30 (Ads in the 3rd and 4th Quarter)
Agency: Goodby Silverstein & Partners
Spot titled "Tomorrow" will promote their new luxury car - Genesis - and will have a narrator comparing it to other cars in the "same class" (ie. Mercedes & BMW). Ends with Hyundai logo and "Think About It" tagline while Mr. Narrator says, "We're not sure what USA Today's Ad Meter will say about this ad. But we're pretty sure Mercedes, BMW and Lexus aren't going to like it." Sounds trite and dreadful - but let's wait and see. ;)


HYUNDAI - :30
Agency: Goodby Silverstein & Partners
"Big Twist" introduces the world to Genesis, as it maneuvers down a windy road, while the voiceover reveals the plot twist: the car is manufactured by Hyundai.



ETRADE - :30
Agency: Grey, NY
No news on creative yet.


Fourth Quarter

SUNSILK - :30 (During 2 minute warning)
Agency: Desgrippes Gobe, Paris/BrandThinkTank
The first Super Bowl spot for the brand will feature Madonna, Marilyn Monroe and Shakira with the theme "Life can't wait" and urges women to "make your hair happen". The ad will direct viewers to lifecantwait.com (AKQA is the digital agency) which goes live February 1st. Song snippets of each star will include "Ray of Light", "I Want to Be Loved By You", and "Whenever, Whatever."
Superadgrunts, see the spot here.


TOYOTA - :30
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi, LA
Director/Production: Jesse Peretz, RSA or Lance Acord of Park Pictures, NY
This spot will launch the Toyota Sequoia sport utility and will be "more emotional and family focused" than the Corolla spot airing in the 2nd quarter.


ETRADE - :30
Agency: Grey, NY
No news on creative yet.


Second Half
PLANTER'S PEANUTS - :30
Agency: Draft FCB
Director/Production: Bryan Buckley, Hungry Man
The first Super Bowl spot for the brand depicts how far men will go to follow their instincts, but with 'Instinctively Good'' intentions. Not sure what that has to do with this unibrow photo though. We'll see.




VICTORIA'S SECRET - :30
Agency: In-House
Director/Production: Michael Bernard, cYclops productions, NY
Back in the game after a 10 year hiatus, the ad is part of the brand's Valentine's Day marketing efforts and according to AdAge it will feature Victoria's Secret Angel Adriana Lima and a football."


Post-Game
GM - GMC
No creative information on the post-game spots.


Unknown Air Time
ANHEUSER-BUSCH 7 spots total - 6 will be for Bud Light
Agency: DDB, Chicago (most spots are by them), Cannonball, St. Louis, Goodby Silverstein & Partners, SF, and Latinworks, Texas have all contributed to the pool of spots AB will choose from.
Director/Production: Stacy Wall, Epoch Films for DDB, Chicago; Chris Koch, Konk Inc, NY for Latinworks (Bud); Joe Pytka, PYTKA for DDB, Chicago; Bryan Buckley, Hungry Man for DDB, Chicago (Bud Light).

1) :60 for Budweiser titled "Team" features a discouraged Clydesdale show a Dalmatian helping "Thunder" get in shape after the horse gets cut from the beer wagon team.

2) :30 for Bud Light titled "Wheel" where a trio of party-going cavemen are less than impressed with their friend's new invention - the wheel - which he invented to get their Bud Light to the party.
See teaser below:

3) :30 for Bud Light titled "Fire". The spot shows how the product is brewed to give you everything you want in a beer, and now...the ability to breath fire and x-ray vision. It's unclear if these are two spots or one - the descriptions floating around make it sound as one but, as you can see, they are separate teasers.

Teasers below:

4) :30 spot by Latinworks is titled "Language of Love". Carlos Mencia shows his students how to use their foreign accent to their advantage to pick up chicks.

5) :30 for Bud Light features a guy inventing a sneaky way to enjoy a brew during a wine and cheese party.

Additionally, several ads were shot with Will Ferrell in character from his movie Semi-Pro, due out Feb. 29.
As we update this during the week I'm sure we'll find out more.


PEPSI - 2 minutes total
Agency: BBDO
Director/Production: Craig Gilespie, MJZ
One spot titled "Magnetic Attraction" features Justin Timberlake for Pepsi Stuff, a partnership with Amazon.com. In the ad, Timberlake hurls himself through stunts to show how every sip gets people closer to the stuff they want.


Agency: BBDO
One possible spot stars Dale Earnhardt Jr. getting the boost he needs from Mountain Dew Amp Energy to do battle with a gorilla and out-race a camel.


Agency: BBDO
Rumor has it that one spot will feature Michael Jackson's "Thriller", in honor of its 25th anniversary, for one of Pepsi's vitamin-enhanced drink, most likely either Amp and SoBe LifeWater.
Superadgrunts, see mekanism's stop-motion teaser:



GATORADE - at least 2 spots
Agency: Element 79
Gatorade G2 will launch the first full spots of their campaign during the game. The ads feature New York Yankee Derek Jeter and Miami Heat Dwayne Wade. As in the teasers, we see a visual transformation of urban environments into sports landscapes which communicate how often athletes think about the game.
Superadgrunts, see spot below:



COCA-COLA - 3 total
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, and possibly others
One of the three spots is for Coke Classic and is set in NYC and tells the tale of an underdog parade mascot battling the others for a Coke and comes out on top. Additionally, Coke is is considering an ad featuring former GOP Senate leader Bill Frist and Democratic operative James Carville. Coke Zero also may get an ad.




COCA COLA/VITAMINWATER - :30
One spot for Vitaminwater will feature NBA star Shaquille O'Neal.

O'Neal, a Vitaminwater drinker, came up with the idea to be a jockey in a Super Bowl ad after hearing that Glacéau founder Mike Repole owned horses. He thinks he'll win the race for ad impact with the more than 90 million viewers expected.

"I'm a big fan of Super Bowl, and I'm a bigger fan of the commercials," O'Neal said in a phone interview from Miami. "I put my house on the line that people are going to remember a 7-1, 321-pound basketball player riding a horse."

O'Neal actually rides the horse (with a few shots using some effects) and wins because Vitaminwater Power-C gives him energy. Rival Gatorade is called "Old Man Gator" by the race announcer.

HERSHEY - ICE BREAKERS ICE CUBES GUM - :30
Agency: Tracey Locke
Carmen Electra stars in the ad as the celebrity spokesperson. Gotta be a high point in her career, huh?

NFL - :60
Agency: In-House/BBDO NY
Top football players have created personal videos that fans can vote on. The winning store about their personal life and football experiences will be aired.


TACO BELL - :30
Agency: Draft FCB, Irvine, CA
Taco Bell is launching its newest "premium meal" with a 30 second spot in high-definition during Super Bowl XLII. The ad features two guys rushing through an office to a lunch meeting carrying their Fiesta Platters when suddenly they’re stopped by a Mariachi. The Mariachi says their meeting can wait and encourages them to sit down and enjoy their meal. Two other Mariachis who bring out a table and chairs in the middle of the office for the workers to sit down and begin to play music. A female office worker walks by and asks what’s going on. The Mariachi looks up, and says “hola.” The girl later lets down her hair and responds with “hola!” The ad creative was handled by Draftfcb in Irvine, California.

Superadgrunts, watch the spot below.

Taco Bell Hola Fiesta

NEW LINE - At Least One Ad
Agency: In-House
Promoting Will Ferrell's "Semi Pro" and may have A-B tie-in.

PARAMOUNT PICTURES - :30
Agency: In-House
Promote "Iron Man" and has tie-in with the Audi R8.

SONY - One Spot
Agency: In-House
Promoting "You Don't Mess With the Zohan"

UNIVERSAL PICTURES - At least one spot
Agency: In-House
Possibly promoting "Wanted".

WARNER BROTHERS - At least one spot
Agency: In-House
Possible promotion of "10,000 B.C." or "Speed Racer".

WALT DISNEY CO. - At least one spot
Agency: In-House
Possibly promoting "Wall-E" or "Chronicles of Narnia: Price Caspian".

Regional
AMERICAN AIRLINES - :30
In the New York area, AA is going to run a spot called "Team Building" which has run prior.
Superadgrunts, see it below.

Rumors or unconfirmed:
McDonald's may have a spot somewhere shot by Pytka, PYTKA for DDB, Chicago. There might also be a Cadillac spot directed by Joe Carnahan, RSA for Modernista!. TBWA/Chiat/Day, LA has also done some work for the '09 Nissan Murano, directed by Bram van Riet, Caviar LA. We're also sure to see at least one spot for the NFL/United Way.


Related:
Super Bowl Ad News: 12/19/07
Super Bowl XLII getting ramped up: 01/18/08
A look back on super bowl ads past - NYT picks and Adland picks.: 01/20/08
Doritos lets band of your choice gatecrash the Super Bowl!: 01/20/08
Adland's pick of the top five worst ever super bowl ads of all time: 01/22/08
When Advertisers Don't Want to Pay But Want Super Bowl Association: 01/24/08
Pepsi to debut "deaf ad" during Super Bowl XLII: 01/25/08
The oft-forgotten Super bowl commercial gems.: 01/26/08