Automakers did things differently for this year's Big Game. Traditionally, carmakers capitalize on the Super Bowl and air expensive commercials showcasing the latest models since it's a massive advertising opportunity. This year, however, many major automakers pulled out of the Super Bowl LV due to marketing budgets being reduced as a result of the pandemic. To reflect on these current challenging times, some of the car commercials that did air also had nothing to do with cars.
Without further ado, we've rounded up all of the car-themed commercials that aired during the Big Game in case you missed them. What was your favorite?
Fast 9: The Big Game Spot
Following the film's year-long delay, Fast & Furious fans were treated to new footage of Fast 9 in a TV spot. At only 30 seconds long, this was a short but sweet preview but there was no shortage of the over-the-top action and spectacle the franchise is famous for.
In just 30 seconds, cop cars crash, a building collapses, and a Toyota 86 gets catapulted through a building and into a moving truck. We even get to see Helen Mirren's character behind the wheel for the first time. The TV spot confirms Fast 9 will arrive "in theaters soon" so let's hope its May 28 theatrical release date doesn't slip.
Ford: Finish Strong
You might have expected Ford to push the new F-150 Raptor and Mach-E during the Big Game, but the Blue Oval automaker's Super Bowl LV commercial didn't feature a single car. Instead, Ford continued its "Finish Strong" campaign in a somber TV spot encouraging Americans to pull together to protect themselves and each other as "we're so close" to returning back to our normal lives after being restricted for so long during the pandemic.
Toyota: Jessica Long's Story
Like Ford, Toyota's Super Bowl campaign also had nothing to do with cars whatsoever. The emotional TV spot "shares an uplifting message of hope and strength," chronicling the life of Paralympic gold medalist Jessica Long and the challenges she overcame after her lower legs were amputated due to a rare disease.
Jeep: The Middle
Starring rock star Bruce Springsteen, Jeep aired a poignant campaign called "The Middle." The US automaker wants to remind us "we are stronger than the obstacles in our way" and "invites us to remember all the ways we are connected as Americans." In the two-minute-long commercial, Springsteen takes us on a trip in his CJ-5 to the US Center Chapel in Kansas and calls for us to find common ground and end the divide in America. Springsteen's message is simple: "the very soil we stand on is common ground."
Jeep: The Road Ahead
Jeep's "The Road Ahead" campaign is a more traditional commercial previewing some of the automaker's upcoming models including the Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid and 2021 Grand Cherokee L. The Grand Wagoneer Concept also makes an appearance along with several historic Jeep models celebrating the automaker's heritage while looking to the future.
General Motors: "No Way Norway"
In contrast to Ford and Toyota, General Motor's campaign was tongue-in-cheek, continuing the tradition of celebrity cameos in Super Bowl car commercials. Riled by Norway beating America's electric car sales, comedian Will Ferrell launches a tongue-in-cheek campaign encouraging America to embrace electrification while taking the new Cadillac Lyriq for a spin. Joining his crusade is Saturday Night Live's Kenan Thompson and Nora Lum, aka Awkwafina, in the new Hummer EV.
Cadillac: Edgar Scissorhands
Cadillac's campaign promoting the new Lyriq electric SUV was easily one of this year's funniest Super Bowl car commercials. A parody of Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands, the amusing commercial stars Timothee Chalamet as Edward Scissorhands's son, Edgar Scissorhands, alongside Winona Ryder who reprises her role as his mother, Kim Boggs. Turns out the Cadillac Lyriq is the perfect car for a teenager with scissors for hands thanks to Cadillac's hands-free Super Cruise technology.