A Norway brand responds to Will Ferrell Super Bowl slam ... a year later

In a 2021 Super Bowl spot that created some serious buzz, Will Ferrell and General Motors (and Kenan Thompson and Awkwafina) had a threatening message for Norway. Not only were they planning to dethrone the country as the world’s electric vehicle leader, the "Anchor Man" and “Stepbrothers” actor wanted to “crush those losers.”

A year later, a Norwegian cheese brand has a direct response for Ferrell: they aren’t angry anymore.

In an extremely soothing sixty-second spot, Eldorado cheese and agency Morgenstern put the drama to rest, armed with a very matured selection of queso. 

“Hello, Will Ferrell!” says the spokesman jovially. “Some of us were very offended by what you said ... A few Norwegian companies were very quick to tell you, you remember?”

One respondent was former Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg. She clapped back at a spin-off ad in which Ferrell joked about sending 5 million anchovy pizzas to the country revealed the fishy topping may rank even lower than pineapple.

Another response came from Audi Norway, featuring “Game of Thrones” actor Kristoffer Hivju and the tagline, “Don’t hate. Imitate.”

That was all 12 months ago. Norway is over it now and ready to have a grown up conversation. That’s why the spot stars Hivju’s father, actor Erik Hivju. 

“Like a good cheese, feelings mature,” says Hivju, patting a large piece of Eldorado’s 12-month aged Grana Padano. “They get better with time.”

See GM's teaser for the Will Ferrell Super Bowl ad below: