For the average 30-second Super Bowl advertisement, it costs about $6.5 million in 2022. So there's no doubt that marketing teams behind brands betting big on this year's championship game, in which the Cincinnati Bengals will face off against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, have put a lot of thought into what will best resonate with viewers.
This year, that's predominantly a dose of nostalgia, alongside a sprinkling of cryptocurrency. There are also some electric vehicles, a mind-reading Alexa and robots thrown in there for good measure.
After a heavy couple of years through the pandemic, during which Super Bowl viewership declined, marketers are banking on that warm, fuzzy feeling that comes from looking into the past, while laying out an optimistic future.
A dose of nostalgia for Verizon, GM and Frito-Lay's
Jim Carrey, for example, will reprise his role from The Cable Guy, which was directed by Ben Stiller back in the mid-1990s, for a Verizon ad on 5G internet that's already seen a teaser get people talking.
Another 1990s film (or, in this case, film series) that is being revived is Austin Powers, as Mike Myers dons the Dr Evil suit once again for automaker GM's ad, inspired by the spy comedy trilogy that debuted in 1997.
The Frito-Lay's comedic ad is literally called Golden Memories and features actors Seth Rogan and Paul Rudd, playing themselves, as they reminisce over milestone friendship moments ahead of Rogan's marriage to a zombie-ghost he met when buying his house, all set to Shania Twain's 1997 hit tune You're Still the One.
“Nostalgia is a really good way to tap into positive memories that large portions of viewing audience will have,” Mitchell Olsen, assistant professor of marketing at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, told CNBC. “It’s an opportunity to attach your brands with some of those positive associations.”
Are we entering the Crypto Bowl?
The fact this year's Super Bowl is being dubbed by media outlets as the Crypto Bowl tells us enough. It's the first time cryptocurrency companies have launched their products on the world's biggest advertising stage.
A whole host of cryptocurrency companies have bought slots, but are being fairly secretive as to what we can expect.
Crypto.com, which has had Matt Damon star in its commercials, has a spot, as does cryptocurrency exchange FTX, which reportedly plans to give away Bitcoin during the slot.
Binance hasn't bought an ad spot during the game, but is running a whole campaign around it, with a message to potential buyers not to take investment advice from big-name celebrities who often front crypto ads. "Trust yourself" and "do your own research" are the takeaway messages here, ironically delivered by famous face and NBA star Jimmy Butler.
Even companies not directly involved in the space are exploring blockchain technology within their campaigns. For example, Budweiser has said it will run an online NFT contest during the game, while Bud Light's first zero-carb beer will launch its campaign with an NFT collection.
Besides the ads, crypto is still talk of the Super Bowl, as Canadian rapper Drake has gone all-in with a $1.3 million bet in Bitcoin on the Los Angeles Rams.
Self-aware celebrities front Super Bowl ads, from Lindsay Lohan to Colin Jost
As with every year, brands have not only shelled out millions to run the ad, but to also ensure some of today's biggest celebrities are fronting their campaigns.
Idris Elba has famously fronted an ad for Booking.com that's gone down well as the Luther star brings his usual brand of entertaining charm to this rather self-aware segment that pokes fun at the company, saying it's "not lit". It's had more than 14 million views on YouTube since it dropped on February 9.
Then there's Parent Trap actress Lindsay Lohan who's taken a break from arranging her wedding from her home in Dubai to return to the screen for a Planet Fitness campaign. It also features Dennis Rodman, William Shatner and Danny Trejo as the premise aims to answer one question: "What's gotten into Lindsay?"
In this case, it's Lohan being self-aware, as it references the star's past DUI and paparazzi-fuelled history, implying she's now returned to a state of normality. Shatner narrates her every move, as it ends with: "Maybe it's not what's gotten into Lindsay, it's what Lindsay's gotten into." That's Planet Fitness, of course.
Scarlett Johansson and husband, American comedian Colin Jost, also team up for a funny Alexa ad that explores life if Amazon's AI device could read your mind, in another example of self deprecation from celebrities.
In one scene, Johansson rehearses for a play and when Jost asks when her show opens, Alexa says, "setting reminder to fake your own death on March 8".
In another, the couple are having a dinner party where one guest compliments the quality of the seafood, and Alexa pipes up: "Announcement: Colin left the oysters in the car for five hours."
Jost ends the clip with: "It's probably better Alexa can't read your mind."
The biog
Siblings: five brothers and one sister
Education: Bachelors in Political Science at the University of Minnesota
Interests: Swimming, tennis and the gym
Favourite place: UAE
Favourite packet food on the trip: pasta primavera
What he did to pass the time during the trip: listen to audio books
2019 ASIAN CUP FINAL
Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
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Mumbai Indians 213/6 (20 ov)
Royal Challengers Bangalore 167/8 (20 ov)
The specs: 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
Price, base: Dh1.2 million
Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 725hp @ 6,500pm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.3L / 100km (estimate)
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
MIDWAY
Produced: Lionsgate Films, Shanghai Ryui Entertainment, Street Light Entertainment
Directed: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Ed Skrein, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Quaid, Aaron Eckhart, Luke Evans, Nick Jonas, Mandy Moore, Darren Criss
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Day 1, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Sadeera Samarawickrama set pulses racing with his strokeplay on his introduction to Test cricket. It reached a feverish peak when he stepped down the wicket and launched Yasir Shah, who many regard as the world’s leading spinner, back over his head for six. No matter that he was out soon after: it felt as though the future had arrived.
Stat of the day - 5 The last time Sri Lanka played a Test in Dubai – they won here in 2013 – they had four players in their XI who were known as wicketkeepers. This time they have gone one better. Each of Dinesh Chandimal, Kaushal Silva, Samarawickrama, Kusal Mendis, and Niroshan Dickwella – the nominated gloveman here – can keep wicket.
The verdict Sri Lanka want to make history by becoming the first team to beat Pakistan in a full Test series in the UAE. They could not have made a better start, first by winning the toss, then by scoring freely on an easy-paced pitch. The fact Yasir Shah found some turn on Day 1, too, will have interested their own spin bowlers.
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Geneva from Dh2,845 return, including taxes. The flight takes 6 hours.
The package
Clinique La Prairie offers a variety of programmes. A six-night Master Detox costs from 14,900 Swiss francs (Dh57,655), including all food, accommodation and a set schedule of medical consultations and spa treatments.
Series result
1st ODI Zimbabwe won by 6 wickets
2nd ODI Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets
3rd ODI Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets
4th ODI Zimbabwe won by 4 wickets
5th ODI Zimbabwe won by 3 wickets
