Fewer automakers than usual spent money advertising during Super Bowl LVII. In total, there were only five traditional ad spots from three big OEMs. A number of car-adjacent ads aired during the Big Game, too, and we’ll bring you those ads in this roundup alongside the more obvious ones.
We’ve compiled all of the automotive-related commercials for you here in this post so you don’t have to go searching for them elsewhere. Read on below to see what aired as the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles.
Ram’s Super Bowl spot offers a cure for ‘Premature Electrification’
This commercial revealed the new electric Ram Rev pickup, and it’s themed like a prescription ad for an antidote to “Premature Electrification.” A concerned narrator in the Ram spot asks if you’re afraid that going electric too soon will mean “you might not be able to last as long as you like,” and there’s a guy on a pier who’s going to need some new equipment if he wants to catch fish. We’re also told there are “options being designed to extend range in satisfying ways,” so if this truck isn’t right for you, you have choices. All the commercial’s missing is a silly medical marketing name and six seconds of speed-reading gibberish about side effects like intestinal bleeding and death. Which are two more good things.
Jeep 4xe Super Bowl commercial highlights modern version of ‘Electric Boogie’
Jeep’s “Electric Boogie” commercial follows the Wrangler 4xe and Grand Cherokee 4xe in a variety of simulated off-road situations. Though fun, the soundtrack is the real star of the show. The song’s original artist, Marcia Griffiths, was joined by Grammy winner Shaggy, Jamila Falak, Amber Lee, and Moyann on the track. The modernized re-recording celebrates 40 years since Griffiths’ original track, and Jeep says the track is available for streaming now.
Kia returns to the Super Bowl with the tale of ‘Binky Dad’
This year, Kia follows the adventure of “Binky Dad” in his quest to fetch his daughter’s lost pacifier, which naturally takes him over just about every bit of terrain you might encounter upon leaving the civilized confines of Southern California for the not-so-civilized mountains of … probably also California. It features the refreshed 2023 Kia Telluride, which probably doesn’t need much advertising to see these days, but Kia went for it with the strong three-row SUV anyway.
GM’s Super Bowl ad puts Will Ferrell and EVs in Netflix shows
GM’s ad has Will Ferrell appearing in settings from major Netflix TV movies and shows such as “Army of the Dead” and “Squid Game,” talking about how there’s no reason not to have EVs there. And then he also appears with EVs in shows where they don’t make sense, such as “Bridgerton” and “Stranger Things,” but only to reassure people that Netflix won’t be shoving new cars where they don’t fit in. The GM lineup on display is pretty varied, with the GMC Sierra EV, Hummer EV, Chevy Blazer EV, and Cadillac Lyriq all making appearances. Most interesting is the Chevy Silverado EV Trail Boss in the “Stranger Things” part.
‘Fast X’ trailer for upcoming film
The Fast franchise took the chance at a Super Bowl ad and put a high-octane trailer for its upcoming movie “Fast X” in front of viewers. We’ve seen the trailer for Fast X already, and it’s clear that Jason Momoa is going to be stepping in as the role of “final boss” for Dominic Toretto. The cars will be fast and the explosions will be numerous. Look out for “Fast X” in theaters on May 19.
WeatherTech Big Game 2023: ‘We All Win’
WeatherTech took the opportunity to advertise in this year’s Super Bowl with an ad touting its American manufacturing. The company known for its all-weather floor mats brings us from the boardroom to the factory floor to the final product in various vehicles. It even shows off a mat for a dog bowl, so remember that WeatherTech mats aren’t exclusively built for cars.
Tesla ‘Full-Self Driving’ ad from The Dawn Project
This highly-critical 30-second ad about Tesla’s “Full-Self Driving” was created by The Dawn Project, an organization that campaigns to ban what it calls “unsafe software.” The Dawn Project says the ad shows tests it performed with a Tesla using the company’s Full Self Driving (FSD) feature. In it, a Tesla can be seen swerving towards oncoming traffic, driving past a stopped school bus, hitting a toddler-sized mannequin, driving on the wrong side of the road, and ignoring “Do Not Enter” signs. We’ll also note that it was founded and is funded by California tech entrepreneur Dan O’Dowd, who is also CEO of Green Hills Software, a company that develops self-driving software.
The Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.8 in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’
Porsche got in on the Super Bowl fun this year with a “Transformers” collaboration. In an ad that aired just before the Super Bowl, a short movie trailer for “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” heavily features a Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.8 who also happens to be Mirage, a Transformer. The Transformer is able to make duplicates of itself to confuse would-be attackers — in the ad, there are five 911s driving side-by-side at one point to demonstrate this “mirage.” The movie arrives on June 9 this year, and we’re definitely excited to see a classic 911 feature in it.
