10 Hours Ago
Super Bowl ads: Celebrities, snacks and ‘Flashdance’
That wraps up the Super Bowl 58 ad slate.
The biggest snack brands from Oreos, Pringles and Mountain Dew to Doritos, M&Ms and Starry dominated the line up.
There were some head-scratchers, like Martin Scorsese’s alien invasion and a curiously shaped Duolingo owl.
And two commercials even spoofed the 1983 film “Flashdance” — looking at you, Nerds and T-Mobile.
We had stars. We had snacks. We had giveaways. And we had a heck of a lot of fun.
— Sarah Whitten, Sara Salinas
11 Hours Ago
Chiefs are back-to-back champs
Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes celebrates after winning Super Bowl LVIII
Mike Blake | Reuters
The Kansas City Chiefs are Super Bowl champions. Again.
After an overtime thriller that featured 75 minutes of lead changes, Patrick Mahomes led the Kansas City Chiefs to becoming back-to-back champs. This marks the Chiefs third Super Bowl victory in five years and puts Mahomes on a rare trajectory as a 28-year-old with three Super Bowl rings and a long career ahead of him.
Kansas City Chiefs’ Mecole Hardman Jr. scores a touchdown to win Super Bowl LVIII
Mike Blake | Reuters
Mecole Hardman caught the game-winning touchdown pass on a cleverly designed play from head coach Andy Reid, and Kansas City erupted into jubilation on the field immediately after.
— Jake Piazza
11 Hours Ago
San Francisco goes ahead in OT
San Francisco kicker Jake Moody made his third field goal of the game after a lengthy drive to start overtime.
The 49ers took a 22-19 lead but will have to stop Patrick Mahomes before they get to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
— Jake Piazza
11 Hours Ago
Het Gets Us returns to the ad slate
For the second year in a row, nonprofit religious organization He Gets Us is commanding conversation for its Super Bowl ads.
This year, the campaign’s spot centered around Jesus washing the feet of his followers. The commercial again raised eyebrows on social media and spurred questions of who funds the pricey spots.
— Sara Salinas
11 Hours Ago
And we’re headed for overtime
Referee Bill Vinovich performs the coin toss before overtime as San Francisco 49ers’ Fred Warner and Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes watch.
Mike Blake | Reuters
San Francisco 49ers will receive the ball first during Super Bowl 58’s overtime period, which is using new rules set by the National Football League just for playoff and championship games.
Both teams are guaranteed a possession, even if the first team to get the ball scores a touchdown. Each team gets three time outs, but no challenges. All reviews will be done by the officiating crew and the booth.
The overtime period is 15 minutes long.
— Sarah Whitten
11 Hours Ago
Tie ballgame
The battle of the kickers continues.
Kansas City Chiefs’ kicker #07 Harrison Butker ties and sends the game to overtime during Super Bowl LVIII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, February 11, 2024.
Patrick T. Fallon | Afp | Getty Images
Kansas City kicker Harrison Butker nailed a short field goal to tie the game at 19-19 with three seconds left in regulation.
— Jake Piazza
11 Hours Ago
Moody drills the go-ahead field goal
Jake Moody #4 of the San Francisco 49ers kicks a field goal in the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Jamie Squire | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images
49ers kicker Jake Moody got his chance at another big kick, and he delivered by drilling a 53-yard field goal to put San Francisco up 19-16.
It’s up to the 49ers’ defense now to stop Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.
— Jake Piazza
11 Hours Ago
Taylor Swift Eras Tour on Disney+
A blank white screen. Minimalist typeface. A series of iconic Disney lines shuffle on screen including “May the Force be with you,” “Ohana means family,” “Why’d it have to be snakes?” and “Just keep swimming.”
It ends with “…Are you ready for it?”
That’s how Disney promoted that Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concert film would be exclusively on its streaming service Disney+ during Super Bowl 58.
— Sarah Whitten
11 Hours Ago
DoorDash wants to deliver every Super Bowl ad to one lucky viewer
DoorDash claims that it can deliver “pretty much anything.” So to live up to that promise, the delivery platform is offering to deliver goods — including snacks, cars and tax software — from all of the Super Bowl ads to one lucky viewer who enters the correct promotion code.
— Amelia Lucas
11 Hours Ago
T-Mobile gives Jason Momoa that ‘home internet feeling’
In the second T-Mobile ad of the night, Zach Braff and Donald Faison serenade “Game of Thrones” and “Aquaman” star Jason Momoa about the benefits of T-Mobile’s home internet to the tune of “Flashdance… What a Feeling.”
Momoa joins in, dancing and belting out his own version of the song.
“Flashdance” star Jennifer Beals appears at the end, asking Momoa to sing it again, this time without his shirt.
— Sarah Whitten
12 Hours Ago
Chiefs tie it up
The Chiefs knotted the game up at 16-16 after getting stopped in the red zone and opting for a field goal.
Harrison Butker drilled the ball through the uprights, which made the 49ers’ missed extra point in the drive before all-the-more critical in the outcome of the game.
— Jake Piazza
12 Hours Ago
Budweiser makes an ‘old school’ delivery
When the power flickers, the Bud runs low and the roads are blocked with snow, it’s time to deliver fresh kegs of Budweiser the “old school way.”
That’s the premise of Budweiser’s 60-second Super Bowl commercial.
Clydesdales trudge through the snow pulling a wagon filled with a new beer supply and nearly lose their way to the local bar. A friendly dog leads them the rest of the way and the bar erupts in cheers as a keg is wheeled inside.
— Sarah Whitten
12 Hours Ago
49ers take the lead back
San Francisco 49ers’ wide reciever #15 Jauan Jennings celebrates scoring a touchdown during Super Bowl LVIII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, February 11, 2024.
Patrick T. Fallon | Afp | Getty Images
Just when it looked like Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs were finding their stride, Brock Purdy and the 49ers surgically drove down the field for the go-ahead touchdown.
Purdy hit a running Jauan Jennings in stride, who then muscled his way into the end zone. Kansas City blocked the extra point to keep it 16-13 in favor of San Francisco.
San Francisco used a blend of Christian McCaffrey on the ground, a big play from wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and a gutsy decision to go for it on fourth down to take the lead back.
— Jake Piazza
12 Hours Ago
Microsoft ad puts AI software on display
Microsoft’s first ad for the big game in four years puts the attention on the company’s free Copilot chatbot, which draws on artificial intelligence models from key partner OpenAI. The software maker’s Copilot can generate human-like text, create images and answer questions from the web based on a few words of human input. It debuted last year, initially in Microsoft’s Bing search engine, and has since shown up in other places, including the Windows 10 and Windows 11 operating systems.
During the commercial, a young woman uses the Copilot iOS app to generate storyboard images for a script. Other people ask about coding, chemistry and a proposed sign for a truck-repair shop.
After OpenAI’s ChatGPT took off in late 2022, Microsoft has spent billions on computing infrastructure to handle generative AI tasks, along with additional investment in the startup. After all that spending, Microsoft wants to make money. In November the company started selling corporate subscriptions on a Copilot add-on for the Microsoft 365 productivity apps, and in January a premium Copilot Pro offering became available.
— Jordan Novet
12 Hours Ago
Kia tugs at heart strings for new all-electric EV9 SUV
Kia Motors took a different approach to its Super Bowl ad than other major automakers, leaning into an emotional message about family for its new all-electric 2024 Kia EV9.
The 60-second spot features a young girl figure skating in an arena but in the crowd there’s an empty seat next to her father. After the performance, the two traverse snowy roads and terrain in the all-electric SUV to arrive at the girl’s grandfather’s house.
The father plugs in lights and a speaker to the vehicle’s onboard power unit to light a frozen pond. The young girl then performs for the grandfather who wasn’t able to make it to the rink.
Kia America Vice President of Marketing Russell Wager told CNBC the ad is meant to promote the new vehicle but also Kia’s commitment to all-electric vehicles. He said Kia wants to be in the same discussion as U.S. EV leader Tesla when consumers consider an EV.
The Kia EV9 is the first large all-electric SUV from a mainstream brand to compete against the R1S from EV startup Rivian and the pricey GMC Hummer EV SUV.
The ad – set to Cat Power and Coldplay’s collaborative track “Wish I Was Here” — was created by California-based David&Goliath, Kia’s creative agency.
— Michael Wayland
12 Hours Ago
Kansas City takes the lead
Kansas City Chiefs’ wide receiver #11 Marquez Valdes-Scantling celebrates after scoring a touchdown during Super Bowl LVIII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, February 11, 2024.
Patrick T. Fallon | Afp | Getty Images
Kansas City took the lead for the first time after Patrick Mahomes found a wide open Marquez Valdes-Scantling to go ahead 13-10.
A muffed punt by 49er Ray-Ray McCloud on the play before set the Chiefs up with the short field, and Mahomes and company wasted no time taking advantage of it.
— Jake Piazza
12 Hours Ago
KC Chiefs kicker breaks Super Bowl field goal record
Kansas City Chiefs’ kicker #07 Harrison Butker kicks the ball during Super Bowl LVIII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, February 11, 2024.
Patrick T. Fallon | Afp | Getty Images
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker has kicked the longest field goal in Super Bowl history. The 57-yarder passed through the posts in the third quarter of the big game.
The previous record was set in the second quarter of the same game by San Francisco 49ers’ Jake Moody, who successfully made a 55-yard field goal.
The score now stands at 10 to 6 in favor of the 49ers.
— Sarah Whitten
12 Hours Ago
Paging Dr. Umstick
What happens when comedian Eric Andre has a meltdown on an airplane?
Enter Dr. Umstick.
For its first ever Super Bowl advertisement, frozen dessert maker Drumstick is leaning into absurdist humor. The 30-second spot features a small marionette, reminiscent of those on the British show “Thunderbirds” from the ’60s, called Dr. Umstick.
As Andre suffers a vague medical episode 36,000 feet up, a flight attendant asks if there’s a doctor on the plane. While there is a real medical professional who offers aid, it’s Dr. Umstick that comes to the rescue. Sort of.
He offers the cabin crew and passengers Drumstick ice cream cones. After all, he’s not a “body doctor.”
— Sarah Whitten
12 Hours Ago
VW leans into its American heritage to celebrate new EVs
Volkswagen is celebrating its American heritage and new all-electric vehicles with a 60-second ad called “An American Love Story.”
The spot features the company’s 75-year history in the U.S.– from its iconic VW “Bug,” or Beetle, and Microbus “hippie van” synonymous with 1960s counterculture to newer products, including its ID. 4 and ID .Buzz van all-electric vehicles.
The commercial features well-known moments of VW’s past in the U.S., including nods to past advertisements of the German automaker.
The ad – set to Neil Diamond’s 1971 hit “I Am…I Said” – ends with, “We shape its metal. You shape its soul.” It was created by New York-based ad agency Johannes Leonardo.
— Michael Wayland
12 Hours Ago
‘I pity the fool’ Skechers ad
Mr. T, who played the foil to Rocky Balboa in Rocky III, starred in a Skechers commercial with Tony Romo.
Romo starts the ad by saying, “There’s no T in skechers,” to which Mr. T responds that “T is always in Skechers.” Mr. T drops his iconic line from Rocky III, “I pity the fool” in reference to people who don’t wear Skechers.
— Jake Piazza