A look at some Super Bowl ads that target car buyers

Dave Kunz Image
Sunday, February 5, 2017
A look at some Super Bowl ads that target car buyers
Automakers are going above and beyond in their Super Bowl ads with celebrities and heartwarming storylines to get their brands noticed.

With more than 111,000,000 people expected to watch this year's Super Bowl, it's a big day for advertisers. And those ads come with a big price tag: $5 million for a 30-second spot.

Lexus will be wowing viewers with its newest model, the LC 500 flagship coupe. It looks like a million bucks. Just move the decimal point over and you're in the ballpark of its starting price, $100,000.

The Cascada convertible isn't all that new anymore, so Buick enlisted some celebrity help for its clever Super Bowl ad. Cam Newton stars, as does supermodel Miranda Kerr.

Speaking of celebrities, Kia's adding to the ultra-hot compact SUV market with its new Niro hybrid, and comedian Melissa McCarthy is helping launch the car with an entire campaign using her signature humor.

Mercedes-Benz is going the celebrity route, too, for its AMG brand, getting help from the Coen brothers and inspiration from the film "Easy Rider." You might recognize the star of the commercial, Peter Fonda.

Audi's using cinema style with an ad called "Daughter." They took some heat four years ago for a spot that some called offensive to young women. This year's ad could be their make-good, stressing gender equality.

Cleverness for Super Bowl advertising comes in many forms.

The Southern California Honda Dealers are actually not running an ad but poking a little fun at them with the "Helpful Bowl." When cliche elements are used in ads during the game, they'll make donations to the Boys and Girls clubs in varying amounts. Given the nature of Super Bowl commercials these days, that total could really add up.

Nobody has seen Hyundai's big Super Bowl ad, as they haven't shot it yet. They'll be making the commercial during the game and showing it right before the trophy presentation at the end.

So sit back and enjoy the show. Oh, and if you have to make a trip to the restroom or the buffet table, no problem -- you can always do that when the commercials end and they cut back to the game.