Millions of people watch the Super Bowl for the game, but millions more watch just for the commercials. Every year, the ads that air during the game are huge-budget affairs, and more and more, they’re getting the very biggest Hollywood stars to appear.
Super Bowl 58 was no different. At $7 million per minute — by far the highest price ever commanded — the commercials were splashy. But there were three that really stood out.
Dunkin’ Donuts
Ben Affleck, alongside a cast of stellar celebrities, appeared again in a Super Bowl broadcast, but this time he wasn’t just working in a local store.
Nope, Mr. Affleck portrays a middle-aged rapper donning branded Dunkin’ attire, eventually joined by longtime buddy and fellow actor Matt Damon, who really does not want to be there. Oh, and who’s on keyboard? None other than NFL legend Tom Brady, former quarterback for the New England Patriots.
Mr. Affleck enters and sees his wife, singer Jennifer Lopez. “Last year she came to my work, now I gotta’ show her what I can do,” he says as he starts an awful rap with the refrain “Why you Dunkin’ me, girl?”
“What up, Bronx?!,” Mr. Affleck hollers at J.Lo. “For your consideration, here comes the Boston Massacre – the DunKing!” He introduces his ragtag group — “Touchdown Tommy on them keys,” Mr. Affleck says of Mr. Brady.
Mr. Damon, embarrassed by the whole thing, chimes in at the end with a variation of his great line in “Good Will Hunting” line: “How do you like them donuts? …I’m so sorry.”
No need for more cowbell, all you need is Christopher Walken.
The famed actor with the distinctive delivery featured in one of the best ads of the night. It brought in some big guns: the director of photography for “Oppenheimer,” “Interstellar” and “Dunkirk,” Hoyte van Hoytema, led the filming.
The 60-second spot for BMW was titled “Talkin’ Like Walken.” It shows Mr. Walken going through a normal day in his electric BMW i5, but everywhere he goes — whether it’s grabbing a cup of coffee or walking his dog — strangers imitate his voice.
Retrieving his car from a valet, Mr. Walken says “This is the real deal. One hundred percent electric.” The valet does a perfect imitation, repeating “It’s the real deal.”
Grabbing a cup of Joe, the barista says while mimicking Mr. Walken, “Enjoy your coffee.” He walks his dog, gets fitted for a suit, has some makeup applied, and each time he meets impersonators.
Finally, he goes to a restaurant, where the maître d’ says in perfect Walkenian, “Does… this table … work for you?”
After sitting down, Mr. Walken sees Usher — the Super Bowl halftime performer — at the next table and asks, “Don’t you got somewhere to be?”
Reese’s
But the best commercial of the night might have been the ad for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
A group of people are gathered in a living room — perhaps watching the Super Bowl — when a narrator is heard saying, “We’re making a big change to Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.”
Chaos erupts, as everyone yells “Noooooo!” The grandmother does a spit take; a guy dunks his head in a pot of soup; a woman jumps out the window; another man smashes his head through a wall; and the last guy flips over a coffee table.
“We’re adding a delicious layer of caramel,” the narrator then says, as the group calms down. “But we’re only making a few of them,” the narrator says, leading to more over-reactions.
“A few million,” the narrator says. After a quick cheer, the soup/popcorn guys says, “Wait, are you still selling regular cups?
“Yup,” the narrator says to cheers as a dog effortlessly twirls a hula hoop around his hips.
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