Eight years after the E-Trade baby quit the broker biz, the diaper-clad infant may be making a return—at least, that’s what a new Super Bowl teaser from the brand implies. Today, E-Trade released a 30-second teaser ahead of its Feb. 13 commercial, a 30-second spot airing during the first quarter of the game.

In the clip, two business executives appear to be on a late-night conference call. Over Chinese food takeout containers, one talks imploringly into the speaker, “Look, I know you’re out of the game,” he says, as his female companion admits that, “We wouldn’t disturb you if it wasn’t important, but the world needs you.” After nothing but static, the man wonders aloud, “Is it past his bedtime?” as the camera reveals the baby monitor speaker. The teaser is appropriately named "Monitor."

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It’s highly likely that E-Trade, which was acquired two years ago by Morgan Stanley, is referencing the return of its iconic baby, who famously resigned in a huff following the addition of a feline sidekick to the online brokerage’s brand ambassador roster. The baby had been an E-Trade regular and Super Bowl favorite.

After changing agencies—E-Trade moved from Grey to Ogilvy in 2013—the brand shifted its strategy, eventually moving on to spots starring actor Kevin Spacey. The trader ran Super Bowl commercials from 2008 through 2013, before taking a break. It reapeared for the 2018 Big Game with a retirement-savings-focused spot, created with new agency MullenLowe New York, that did not include the baby or Spacey. 

When asked about the potential of the baby's return, Andrea Zaretsky, chief marketing officer of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management and E-Trade, did not divulge much.

"The new commercial’s contents are top secret, but we’re excited to share our teaser video, 'Monitor,' which provides a clue about what—or who—to expect," she said via email.

The new marketing will include new logo elements that merge E-Trade with Morgan Stanley. In addition, it debuts the "E-Trade from Morgan Stanley" byline at the end of the spot, Zaretsky noted. 

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Last year, E-Trade ran a Super Bowl spot about the financial challenges of the pandemic.

That commercial, and the upcoming work, were also created with MullenLowe.

E-Trade is not the only brand looking to its advertising past to propel its future. Allstate recently began running work starring Mayhem, the mischieveious trickster character that was sidelined following the insurer’s appointment of Droga5 as creative agency of record in 2020. Similarly, during last year’s Super Bowl, frequent Big Game advertiser Bud Light brought back several brand characters such as the “I love you man” guy and Cedric the Entertainer.

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