Update: Ram and Jeep have released their Super Bowl ads (additional reporting by John Halas)
Super Bowl LVII is coming quickly and, as ever, in addition to the teams putting their all into the game, so will advertisers. Those advertisers may not be selling cars this year, though, because a surprising number of automakers will be watching this game from the sidelines.
Read: CarMax, Carvana, And Vroom Opt Out Of This Year’s Super Bowl
Kia was the only automotive brand to have committed early to one of the event’s expensive ad slots, with GM and Stellantis joining shortly thereafter. Toyota, Carmax, Carvana, and Vroom, meanwhile, all announced that they would be sitting this game out, saving themselves the roughly $7 million a 30-second ad spot will cost, according to AdAge.
Ram And Jeep Last Are Last Minute Additions To The Roster
Stellantis will return to the Super Bowl this year after skipping 2022. The Ram and Jeep brands are both buying 60-seconds-worth of ad time during the game. Ram’s ad will run in the fourth quarter of the game and introduces us to the production version of the 2024 1500 REV electric pickup truck, more of which you can read about here. The innuendo-packed commercial is cheekily named “Premature Electrification” and features actor Jason Jones who “humorously addresses potential electrification concerns that may weigh on consumers’ minds when purchasing an electric truck”.
Jeep’s big game commercial is called “Electric Boogie” and it showcases the brand’s expanding electrified lineup, including the Wrangler 4xe and Grand Cherokee 4xe.
Stellantis’ last ad, produced in 2021, garnered a surprising amount of controversy, which may explain why it chose to skip 2022. Featuring Bruce Springsteen, the Jeep spot took place in Lebanon, Kansas, the geographic center of the lower 48 states.
Although it was intended as a metaphor for centrism, the ad’s star was booked on charges of drinking while operating a motor vehicle. The ad was pulled and then reinstated after the charges against Springsteen were dropped following the discovery that he hadn’t been riding drunk, but had instead indulged a fan’s request to share a shot of alcohol while on his motorcycle.
Kia Gives Telluride Telly Time With Binky Dad
While others chose to spend their money elsewhere, Kia said that the Super Bowl remains an essential part of raising brand awareness for its Telluride. Refreshed for 2023, the brand has upped production of the SUV at its Georgia plant. The first teaser for the ad campaign, released on February 1, features a fallen soother and the tag line, “Find it on 2.12.23.” That’s as cryptic a teaser as it is a baffling one, since it will be advertising a vehicle which is made in a plant whose suppliers have been found guilty of violating child labor laws. On Thursday, Kia released the commercial, which in a first for a Super Bowl ad, will conclude exclusively on TikTok with three alternate endings.
GM And Will Ferrell Ride Again
In what can only be described as an advertising ouroboros, GM announced this week that it’s partnering with Netflix to advertise the fact that it will be advertising more on the streaming service. The automaker has pledged to put more EVs (many of which it doesn’t yet produce) onscreen in Netflix shows in the future.
WeatherTech Wants Everyone To Win
Car accessory maker WeatherTech is back in the game for the 10th time with a new 30-second commercial set to air during the FOX broadcast of Super Bowl LVII on February 12, 2023. This year’s ad marks a decade of consecutive Super Bowl advertising for the company and showcases its growth over the years.
More to Come?
While the automotive participation in this year’s Super Bowl appears to be light—with brands like Toyota announcing that the timing of the game did not align with its products this year—more automakers may announce their ads. We will continue to update this post as more commercials surface.