Droga 5 and Newcastle hijack Super Bowl again
It really doesn’t get much better than this. They may or may not win it all as they did last year with Anna Kendrick, but this is smart and topical. And it perfectly manages to both celebrate and parody the concept of Super Bowl advertising and the excessive hoopla that surrounds it. Band of Brands pokes fun at the cost of $4.5 million per thirty second spot. It taps into the cultural trend of the shared economy — brands chip in to buy a spot. And it uses the web and social media to call more attention to itself per dollar invested than any of the big brands spending real money on the game.
I actually like Aubrey and the website better than the spot, but it’s all fun and entertaining. And if the primary purpose of advertising is to be part of the cultural conversation (believing that leads to sales) then it’s working.
We’ve seen great examples of hijacking either the cultural moment or topical news events in recent years. CP&B with Brammo’s Shocking Barack. Oreo with Dunk In the Dark. Century 21 and the finale of Breaking Bad.
But when I raise a cold and frosty tomorrow, I’m drinking to Newcastle and Droga5.
