The average cost of a Super Bowl commercial spot has skyrocketed more than 75 percent over the past decade. Rewind the clock to 10 years ago and a 30-second ad in the big game was about $2.5 million. This past Super Bowl featured 30-second ads at a clip of around $4.5 million. It is estimated that half-minute spots for this year’s big game will sell for $5 million or more. Ford is spearheading the charge with a creative ad that will debut moments before the opening kickoff.
Ford’s Super Bowl LI Commercial
Tune in to the Super Bowl pregame show on FOX and you will catch Ford’s creative ad that will air just before the game gets under way. Ford’s commercial starts out with a a skier who finds himself trapped on a ski lift. The commercial then shows similar unfortunate situations like kites stuck in trees, a basketball jammed between the rim and backboard, boats stranded in the middle of nowhere with busted engines, a wrestler mired in a choke-hold, people stuck in massive traffic jams and a man on a roof who accidentally kicks his ladder aside and has no safe means of departing. Dubbed as “Go Further”, Ford’s Super Bowl commercial then takes a turn for the better by showing each of these individuals finding a way out of their respective jams. These creative solutions to difficult challenges represent Ford’s approach to problem-solving. The company “goes further” by exploring new ways to overcome challenges in an effort to benefit customers with improved automobile technology.
Star Power
Listen closely to the commercial’s narrator’s voice and you just might recognize the tone and inflection. It is that of Bryan Cranston, also known as Walter White from the hit AMC drama Breaking Bad. Cranston describes Ford’s creation of diverse mobility solutions. The point of his monologue is to communicate that Ford is working on much more than regular vehicles that everyday people drive. The company is also spearheading new ground on autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, ridesharing and beyond. Bringing Cranston on board to narrate the company’s message is quite the prudent move. The public has been clamoring for more access to Cranston ever since the Breaking Bad series ended a few years ago. Ears will perk right up as soon as Cranston’s voice enters living rooms across America and the rest of the world. He really does have a powerful international appeal thanks his successful role as the infamous Walter White.
Ford’s Unique Approach to Super Bowl Advertising
Most companies use Super Bowl commercials as a means of touting a specific product or service. Ford is defying convention by promoting its entire company rather than a certain vehicle or automobile technology. Ford’s power brokers chose this route to heighten public awareness of the automaker’s new direction. The spot casts Ford in a progressive and dynamic light. Those who see the ad will likely view the company as a trailblazer rather than as a somewhat stale car manufacturer that endured financial problems and other challenges throughout the past couple of decades. It is quite the savvy public relations strategy by Ford executives.
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