Why WeatherTech is taking a more ‘wild’ approach to the Super Bowl—behind its new strategy

Since its first Super Bowl spot 11 years ago, WeatherTech has focused on one theme—Made in America. The message rang out in the brand’s Big Game debut, called “You Can’t Do That,” which followed the litany of “no’s” CEO and founder David MacNeil received when he first tried to start his automotive floor mat business with American workers, American factories and American raw materials in 1989. Working with longtime creative agency partner Pinnacle Advertising, Bolingbrook, Illinois-based WeatherTech followed its 2014 premiere with Super Bowl ads that consistently highlighted its American-made product line (plus one focused on the veterinary care of the CEO’s beloved dog). “That’s been [MacNeil’s] consistent story over the years,” said Pinnacle CEO Michael Magnusson. Until now. After taking a year off, the Super Bowl regular is taking a decidedly different approach with a lighthearted, humorous spot that follows four septuagenarian and octogenarian grannies as they get up to some racy road adventures. Set to Steppenwolf classic “Born to Be Wild,” the 30-second ad shows the women breakdancing, speeding and flashing a bingo host, all while their WeatherTech mats protect their 1963 Lincoln Continental convertible from the leftover debris of their exploits. The departure from the brand’s norm was intended to help WeatherTech connect with a younger audience, said Jac Mansour, chief creative officer at Pinnacle, which began working with WeatherTech 16 years ago. “We’ve pounded it for a dozen years—people know what WeatherTech stands for,” said Mansour, noting how recent focus groups have recognized the brand’s Made in America roots. “It’s more than just protecting your vehicle—we found we have a bigger story to tell that you can live worry-free in your vehicle and that’s allowing you to live your best life.” To be sure, WeatherTech is not the first Super Bowl advertiser to give senior citizens their due. In 2018, E-Trade moved in the opposite direction of its wise-cracking infant spokesbaby with a spot about the perils of not planning financially for retirement. Five years earlier, Taco Bell memorably showcased a night of wild partying for a group of retirement home residents in “Viva Young.” The cohort would have got on well with WeatherTech’s grannies. NextGen Marketing Summit Join us for a crash course on Gen Z, DTC marketing and the creator economy Register today To tackle a different tone than previous ads, Pinnacle creatives tried to think of the new spot as a music video versus a commercial, Mansour said. To that end, WeatherTech hired Joseph Kahn, a Grammy Award-winning director known for his music videos for the likes of Taylor Swift, Mariah Carey, Britney Spears and Snoop Dogg, to direct the ad. “It’s the idea of treating it like a video instead of a traditional story with a beginning, middle and end,” said Mansour. “It was how to keep it engaging people and keep them at the edge of their seats.” Super Bowl commercials Tracking the latest brand and agency plans Click here The brand previously released a 60-second teaser of the in-game ad that felt unexpected to those familiar with its past Super Bowl campaigns. WeatherTech did not advertise in the 2024 game, so the new spot also represents a return for the nearly perennial Big Game name after a brief hiatus. Last year, the brand ran a pregame spot and advertised in some NFL playoff games instead of investing in an in-game ad, Magnusson said. The break also provided more time to plan and strategize about reaching a broader audience with this year’s campaign, Mansour added. More from Ad Age: Marketing to different generations WeatherTech will continue to incorporate the grannies—whom it has dubbed Betty, Dottie, Robin and Dee—across channels including social media in its advertising following the game. The media plan involves some testing according to Pinnacle, which also oversees media buying for the brand. “It’s been interesting to watch a brand begin to mature and when you realize that you’re at a certain point in the maturation cycle of branding how important it is to remain fresh,” said Magnusson. “It’s important for a brand to step outside of its comfort zone and endeavor in a new direction.”

Why WeatherTech is taking a more ‘wild’ approach to the Super Bowl—behind its new strategy

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