Out to Launch
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Cars and bathroom breaks. We're in the home stretch. Let's launch!
  • KIAKia launched a 90-second extended version of “A Dream Car. For Real Life,” its fourth quarter Super Bowl ad, directed by Noam Murro. Promoting the 2012 Optima Limited, the spot opens on Mr. Sandman and his bag of sweet dreams. He sprinkles magic sand on a woman’s face, and she’s riding off into the sunset, on a white horse, with her Prince Charming. As Mr. Sandman makes it to the husband’s side of the bed, he trips on the man’s slippers and dumps the entire bag of magic sand on the husband. A testosterone-filled extreme dream then begins, with Adriana Lima waving a checkered flag on a racetrack, prompting the husband to take off down the track. He passes Motley Crue, performing “Kickstart My Heart,” a crowd of bikini-wearing women, bullrider Judd Leffew riding a rhino, two lumberjacks sawing through a monster sandwich, and MMA fighter Chuck Lidell smoking his opponent. As everyone cheers on the husband, he takes a turn off-track, busting through into his wife’s sweet dream. She swoops into his arms and the pair drives off into the sunset. The ad was better than I expected. See it here, created by David&Goliath.

    ToyotaToyota launched an extended 60-second version of “Reinvented,” a 30-second spot running in the third quarter, promoting the 2012 Toyota Camry. Once the automaker remade the Camry, it started to reinvent things to simplify life while adding some happiness to the mix. For starters, there’s the couch made of bikini-clad women; fear not, it comes in a male version, too. Next comes the policeman who doubles as a masseur, a baby that both time-travels and doesn’t poop, plants that fight crime, and rain that aids in weight loss. My favorite inventions are the curtains made of pepperoni pizza, the blender that plays Lionel Richie songs, and the DMV that serves ice cream and offers mini golf while you wait. See it here, created by Saatchi & Saatchi LA

    FirstBankColorado residents, the end of the third quarter will be an optimal time for a bathroom break, thanks to FirstBank. Simple can be effective and simply put, FirstBank is giving the gift of a pee break. Most people use the bathroom during commercials, but when it comes to Super Bowl Sunday, you don’t want to miss the ads or the game, so what do you do? The company’s first-ever Super Bowl ad starts with a man reclining in a chair with chips and dip close by. He says: “At FirstBank, customer service is our priority. So if you’re a FirstBank customer worried about missing one of the exciting commercials, or the game time, now would be a great time to go to the bathroom. Seriously.Watch it here, created by TDA_Boulder.

    AudiAudi’s first quarter Super Bowl ad answers the question: why Edward Cullen drives a Volvo. “Vampire Party” is a 60-second spot promoting the 2013 Audi S7, specifically its LED headlight technology. It’s a full moon and the vampires are gathered around the fire, playing guitar and sipping on packets of blood. One vampire is happily en route to the soiree, with a cooler of O+ blood on the passenger’s side. “The party’s arrived,” says the Audi-driving vampire as he reaches his final destination. He bends down to retrieve the blood and doesn’t see that his headlights are killing his friends, one by one. He steps out of his car and everyone’s gone. “Daylight, now in a headlight,” flashes copy. The spot ends when the driver walks in front of his car and goes up in smoke. I can’t help but laugh every time I watch this. The ad also uses a great song: “The Killing Moon” by Echo & The Bunnymen. See it here, created by Venables Bell & Partners.