Peyton Manning takes a family to Universal Parks & Resorts. Chris Pratt works out to get in shape to tout Michelob Ultra. Bill Hader takes a break on set to snack on some Pringles.
This year’s Super Bowl advertisers are minding their manners. They’re trying hard to steer clear of everything from politics to the (hash)MeToo movement with lightly humorous ads that don’t offend.
The goal is to capture the attention of the 111 million-plus viewers expected to tune in Sunday when the Philadelphia Eagles take on the New England Patriots. Thirty-second slots are going for more than $5 million for airtime alone.
Last year Youth Le'Veon Bell Jersey , ads that tackled political issues fell flat, like an 84 Lumber ad about immigration. And some thought the recent Grammy Awards’ low ratings were because the show contained too many political moments, such as Hillary Clinton reading from the Trump biography ”Fire and Fury.”
People are in the mood for ”political-free entertainment,” said Kim Whitler, a marketing professor at the University of Virginia.
Several ads will be taking a light-humor approach with mostly male celebrities. PepsiCo brands Doritos Blaze and Mountain Dew Ice are showcased in two 30-second linked spots showing Morgan Freeman and Peter Dinklage in a lip-sync rap battle.
In a Pringles ad , Bill Hader has a snack on set and introduces a made-up practice dubbed ”flavor stacking,” in which he mixes and matches different Pringles varieties. M&Ms enlisted Danny DeVito to embody what happens when a red M&M becomes a person after wishing on a lucky penny.
Keanu Reeves surfs on his motorcycle through the desert in an ad for Squarespace. Chris Elliott lives in a bio dome to tout avocados from Mexico, while ”Stranger Things” star David Harbour shows up in Tide’s commercial.
”They’re light hearted and good natured,” Whitler said. ”That’s on target with the mood of the country.”
”We’re exposed to so much constant negativity,” said Andy Goeler, a marketing executive at Bud Light. ”Delivering something just light hearted and fun is the root at what beer is all about.” The brand’s two spots showcase a mythical kingdom a la ”Game of Thrones” centered on Bud Light and the catchphrase ”Dilly Dilly.”
Amazon’s 90-second fourth-quarter ad stars a bevy of celebrities who sub for the voice of Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant: singer Cardi B, actress Rebel Wilson, star chef Gordon Ramsey and even actor Anthony Hopkins putting a Hannibal Lector spin on things. Leading up to the halftime show, Pepsi’s ad references past celebrities who have appeared in Pepsi Super Bowl ads: Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, Cindy Crawford and others.
Nonetheless, two Super Bowl ads are bucking the trend and sidling up to political issues Womens Le'Veon Bell Jersey , however obliquely.
Coca-Cola’s anthemic 60-second ad features varieties of Coke, from Coke Zero to the stevia-flavored Coke Life, quaffed by women, men and a person who uses the ”they” pronoun.
”There’s a Coke for he, and she and her and me and them,” a voiceover states.
Coca-Cola executives say the ad highlights the diversity the company has always used in its advertising, adding that they consulted African-American and LGBTQ groups among its own employees. A biracial couple and a person in a wheelchair also appear in the spot.
”We want to celebrate all the people that make up the world,” Coca-Cola executive Brynn Bardacke said. ”We don’t want to exclude anyone.”
On the other hand, WeatherTech, which makes car mats and other interior car products, has a staunchly pro-American approach in its ad, which shows the construction of a factory that opened late last year.
”At WeatherTech, we built our factory right here in America,” the ad’s text reads. ”Isn’t that the way it is supposed to be?”
It’s the fifth year WeatherTech has advertised in the Super Bowl touting its all-American operations. Founder and CEO David MacNeil said his ad doesn’t have typical Super Bowl accoutrements – ”no ponies, no puppies, no pretty girls” – but said it’s straight to the point about its message.
”Isn’t it just logical to build your own factory in your own country so your own fellow citizens can have jobs?” he said. He said he doesn’t believe the ad might be divisive. ”It wouldn’t occur to me that I could offend anyone by supporting my own country,” he said.
While the majority of advertisers release their ads ahead of time to try to drum up publicity Youth Ryan Shazier Jersey , there are some holdouts. Fiat Chrysler usually appears during the game without advance warning. Other advertisers that have remained mum about their plans so far include E-Trade and Monster Products.
”It may be that advertisers with risky ads are waiting for the game, hoping to protect the surprise and break through the clutter,” said Tim Calkins, a marketing professor at Northwestern University.
Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona thought the worst when Carlos Carrasco was struck on the right arm by a line drive.
”From where I was standing I thought it might have hit him in the face so there was a little bit of a sense of relief, but it caught him right kind of on that funny bone,” Francona said after the Indians’ 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Saturday. ”He was hurting.”
Carrasco grabbed his arm after being hit by Joe Mauer’s leadoff liner in the second inning and went to his knees on the infield grass.
Although the Indians announced Carrasco was diagnosed with a forearm contusion, Francona said the pitcher was struck on the elbow. During his postgame press conference, Francona said Carrasco was still being examined at a hospital. The team was expected to have an update Sunday.
The Twins got four hits from Eddie Rosario in their latest victory over the Indians. Rosario hit his 16th homer for the Twins, who have won five straight against the AL Central leaders to improve to 6-2 against Cleveland this season.
Rosario swung at the first pitch in all four of his hits. He also scored four times, drove in two runs and swiped a base. Rosario is batting .471 with six homers and 11 RBIs against Cleveland this season.
”Everything is going good,” he said. ”I like it. I feel more comfortable playing against the Indians.”
”Four pitches, four hits today,” Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said. ”Right now, he feels like he can hit just about anything.”
Minnesota scored four runs in the first off Carrasco (8-5). Eduardo Escobar and Max Kepler each hit a two-run double in the inning. Logan Morrison had three RBIs, including a two-run double in the sixth.
Matt Magill (2-1) got the win with three scoreless innings in relief of Fernando Romero.
Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez homered in the first for Cleveland, which has lost four of five.
Carrasco’s injury forced the Indians to use six relievers, including Adam Plutko Womens Ryan Shazier Jersey , who was scheduled to start Sunday’s series finale. Plutko pitched the seventh and eighth.
Outfielder Brandon Guyer, making his first professional pitching appearance, retired the side in order in the ninth on eight pitches.
Carrasco was coming off one of his best starts of the season. He struck out 11 in seven shutout innings against the White Sox on Monday, but he struggled against the Twins. Carrasco threw 37 pitches in the first when he allowed four hits, walked a batter and hit another.
Mauer lined the second pitch of the second to the mound, striking Carrasco directly on the arm. He hopped off the mound and went to the ground before being visited by Francona and a team trainer. Carrasco then walked to the dugout with the trainer and was replaced by Oliver Perez.
”You don’t want to see anybody get hit with a line drive like that,” Molitor said. ”It kind of shakes everyone for a moment, even though you try not to let it.”
The ball that struck Carrasco rolled to first baseman Edwin Encarnacion, who stepped on the bag for the out.
Carrasco was hit in the face by a line drive in 2015, but made his next turn in the rotation. The right-hander broke his right hand after being hit by a line drive late in the 2016 season and missed the playoffs.
Mauer led off the game with a single, his first hit since being activated from the disabled list Friday. Rosario walked and both runners scored on Escobar’s double. Morrison was hit by a pitch. Robbie Grossman’s one-out single loaded the bases and Kepler doubled high off the wall in right, scoring two more runs.
Rosario hit an RBI single in the sixth and a solo homer in the eighth.
YOUR TURN
Guyer was told late in the game that he’d be pitching the ninth. He retired Taylor Motter on a groundout and Ryan LaMarre and Kepler on fly balls.
”I was a pretty good pitcher back in the day,” Guyer said. ”I had elbow surgery when I was 12 that ended the pitching days.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Twins: OF Byron Buxton (toe fracture) will begin a minor league rehab assignment at Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday.
Indians: LHP Andrew Miller (right knee inflammation) has thrown several bullpen sessions, but it hasn’t been decided when he’ll face hitters as part of his rehab process.
UP NEXT
Twins RHP Jake Odorizzi (3-3, 4.19 ERA) will start the series finale. RHP Shane Bieber (0-0, 6.35) will be called up from Triple-A Columbus to start for the Indians.