Brands are teaming up with partners this year for their Super Bowl ads, a move that allows brands with shared goals to integrate their messages. General Motors is partnering with Netflix. Michelob Ultra is partnering with Instacart and Netflix. Molson Coors is teaming up with DraftKings for a consumer bet to predict which brand will be featured in its Super Bowl ad –Coors Light or Miller Light.
Michelob Ultra, which is focusing its brand narrative around golf this year, the Netflix partnership was win-win. The ABInBev brand is running two golf-themed ads at the Super Bowl, the second includes an integration with Netflix in which viewers can scan a QR code on the can at the end of the spot to exclusively view the first episode of the Full Swing, a new documentary series on Netflix that debuts on February 15th.
“The show will be premiered through the Michelob Ultra can,” said said Ricardo Marques, vice president of marketing at Michelob ULTRA. “If you scan our Michelob Ultra can, you can access Episode One of the show exclusively for a period of 24 hours on our Michelob Ultra website. It’s the first time that Netflix does something like this. Thematically this is beautifully aligned with our entire campaign, and also gives something of added value to our audience, which is exclusive access to this amazing show.”
Through the QR code, viewers can also access a fully customized Michelob Ultra experience on the Instacart shopping cart, where users can buy Michelob Ultra within the Instacart. “It is a simple way to tap into something that people are already doing, which is ordering beer online,” said Marques. “But doing it with a partner and creating an experience that makes the whole shopping journey seamless.”
Netflix is also partnering with General Motors for the Super Bowl, in a message promoting electric vehicles. This time, viewers can’t access content by scanning a QR code on a beer can in an ad, but instead, GM electric vehicles will be featured alongside Netflix shows like Army of the Dead. The teaser stars Will Ferrell.
The spot is a follow up to GM’s 2021 campaign “Everybody In,” the car company’s commitment to an electric future. Netflix will be a part of this movement by increasing EVs in Netflix-produced shows and films.
“Entertainment has a huge impact on culture. We want to make EVs famous on streaming, small and silver screens to build an EV culture through storytelling that incorporates the experiences of driving and owning an EV,” said Deborah Wahl, chief marketing officer at GM, in a statement shared with Brand Innovators. “Netflix is a great partner because of the company’s compelling storytelling, commitment to sustainability and track record of sparking conversations that shape cultural trends. We are united in creating a better, more sustainable future for our world as we bring everybody in on EVs.”
GM EVs will be featured in Netflix shows including: Love is Blind, Queer Eye and Unstable.
“At Netflix, we create shows and films that can influence culture and spark meaningful conversations,” said Marian Lee, CMO of Netflix, in a statement. “From the TikTok dance trends inspired by Wednesday to thoughtful discussions about climate change with Don’t Look Up, we know that entertainment can drive fandom and inspire connections. GM is a cultural leader in the auto industry and we are proud to partner with them in their efforts by amplifying the presence of electric vehicles in our shows and films.”
Molson Coors is using their partnership with DraftKings to turn their Super Bowl ad into a game. Fans can predict which product will be featured in the company’s Super Bowl ad, for the chance to win part of a $500,000 prize if they guess correctly. The collaboration is the first time the company will be advertising at the Super Bowl in more than Molson Coors, since ABInBev gave up exclusive rights to the game this year.
“After being shut out of the big game for more than 30 years, we wanted to do something that had never been done before,” said Michelle St. Jacques, Molson Coors’ chief marketing officer, in a statement. “By giving people the chance to predict every detail of the ad before it even runs, we’re bringing our fans along for the ride and getting them just as excited about our return to the big stage as we are.”
