Adam Driver is the star of the Super Bowl trailer and commercial portions this year. The trailer for his new movie, “65” was aired along with other upcoming movies for 2023. He also starred in the 90-second commercial of Squarespace, along with a few versions of him in an existential/trippy video.
Super Bowl has become the unofficial sports holiday of the United States. It is a worldwide event watched by millions of people. Last year, about 208 million people watched the games. This year the count is around 100 million. And aside from watching the game and performances by celebrities, trailers, and commercials have become a tradition for the Super Bowl.
The sheer amount of people tuned in on the Super Bowl means a field day for advertisers and companies who can afford a spot on the roster. But it isn’t cheap at all!
A 30-second movie trailer cost $6.5 million last year. Meanwhile, an ad spot for this year’s Super Bowl is believed to be around $7 million for every 30 seconds.
Being included in the roster of ads to be shown on the Super Bowl is not a walk in the park financially. Netflix, for example, has teamed up with GM to share the ad costs and screen time. Their newest ad showed Will Ferrell in scenes from Netflix blockbusters like Army of the Dead, Squid Game, and Bridgerton while riding or talking about new GM car models.
Another trailer that makes viewers feel both nostalgia and anticipation is “The Flash” from Warner Bros. and DC Comics. Ezra Miller, who revived the role, will be on the big screen again after many controversies surrounding him. The trailer shows the back story of Miller’s The Flash and ends with Michael Keaton, who reprised his role, uttering his famous catchphrase, “I’m Batman.”
Aside from the star-studded commercials, some heart-wrenching videos aired. The best one is probably from The Farmer’s Dog, a company that sells fresh dog food. The ad shows a girl and her dog growing up and growing old together, from girlhood and puppyhood until parenthood when the girl has her baby and the dog is still by their side. Pet lovers got misty-eyed because of that commercial.
But of course, among the many ads for the Super Bowl, some didn’t quite hit the mark. T-Mobile’s shot at nostalgia starred John Travolta with Zach Braff and Donald Faison. The trio was in a neighborhood singing about T-Mobile’s offers to the tune of the iconic “Grease” song Summer Nights, originally sung by Travolta. Netizens did not connect with the ad, saying it just showed celebrities who sang an old song.
Alicia Silverstone also reprised her role as Cher from Clueless, although the character was more in sync with the Rakuten commercial than Travolta was with T-Mobile. Nonetheless, there were still some comments about Silverstone’s character, saying the advertisers don’t utilize it much.
Super Bowl commercials have been an anticipated part of the sporting event. It costs a lot of money to put ads out there, but the verdict on which ads were worth it is still out.