Watch Will Ferrell in GM’s Netflix-themed Super Bowl ad
The actor invades 'Bridgerton,' 'Stranger Things,' 'Squid Game' and other Netflix hits in the spot
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As General Motors puts its electric vehicles in Netflix shows, the automaker and streamer will pay close attention to context. So, for instance, jamming one into “Stranger Things”—set in the 1980s when mainstream EVs were unheard of—makes no sense. And squeezing another into the 1800s world of “Bridgerton” would be even more preposterous.
Will Ferrell makes these points in the automaker’s Super Bowl ad, which was released today and plugs the deal GM and Netflix announced last week. “Should they add EVs everywhere? They shallan’t,” he says in one scene, as he clumsily tries to fit into the Regency-era England set of “Bridgerton.” Similarly, “Stranger Things” character Erica Sinclair tells him in her sassy style that he is “ruining the show” when he shows up dressed as Dustin Henderson in a Chevy Silverado EV.
The ad goes for plenty of laughs, including one scene that shows Ferrell being attacked by zombies from “Army of the Dead.” But GM is using it for a serious business priority—gaining mainstream acceptance for electric vehicles by putting them in binge-worthy shows, or “normalizing” them, which is how GM Global Chief Marketing Officer Deborah Wahl put it last week while announcing the deal.
The ad, which was handled by The Community with support from McCann Detroit, was directed by David Shane via O Positive.
It will air Sunday during the second quarter. Other shows referenced in the ad include “Love is Blind” and “Queer Eye.” GM EVs have already begun appearing in those programs.
Credits
- Date
- Feb 07, 2023
- Client :
- General Motors
- Client :
- Netflix
- Agency :
- The Community
- Global CCO & Founder :
- Joaquin Molla
- Chief Creative Officer :
- Frank Cartagena
- Executive Creative Director :
- Lucas Bongioanni
- Creative Director :
- Guilherme Grossi
- Creative Director :
- Gabriel Gama
- Creative Director :
- Federico Diaz
- Creative Director :
- Juarez Rodrigues
- Creative Director :
- Ian Reichenthal
- Associate Creative Director :
- Ruth Bellotti
- Associate Creative Director :
- Marcelo Maciel
- Writer :
- Chris Henchy
- Writer :
- Harper Steele
- EVP Head of Integrated Production :
- Laurie Malaga
- Executive Producer :
- Chris Parke
- Associate Producer :
- Diana Sanchez
- CEO :
- Luis Montero
- President :
- Marci Miller
- Group Brand Lead :
- Jessica Patino
- Management Supervisor :
- Veronica Salgueiro
- Brand Supervisor :
- Jesse Cirillo
- Brand Associate :
- Isabelle Feanny
- EVP Chief Strategy Officer :
- Lee Maicon
- VP Brand Strategy :
- Anthony Mariello
- Associate Connections Director :
- Katya Kotlyar
- Associate Connections Director :
- Jacqueline Hernandez
- VP Legal & Business Affairs Operations :
- Natalie Greenman
- Sr Business Affairs Manager :
- Daphne Papadopulos
- Proofreading Manager :
- Ursula Muro
- VP Communications and PR :
- Kara Stockton
- Global CMO :
- Deborah Wahl
- Global Brand Marketing :
- Megan Stooke
- Director Global Media & Marketing :
- Heather Stewart
- Head of Entertainment & Influencer Marketing :
- Sarah Schrode
- Entertainment & Influencer Marketing Manager :
- Michael Patrick
- Global Marketing Manager :
- Susanne Hinz
- Senior Marketing Manager :
- Jennifer Hoffman
- Assistant Marketing Manager :
- Amanda Reuss
- Product Brand & Initiative Communications :
- Arianna Kughn
- Director Brand Social and Digital Channel Communications :
- Sarah Holm
- Brand Digital Communications Social :
- Jasmine Swain
- Sr. Communications Manager :
- Anne Roberts
- Brand Digital Communications :
- Cambrey Thomas
- PR :
- FleishmanHillard
- Managing Supervisor :
- Becky Hoffman
- Managing Supervisor :
- Noelle Tanner
- Managing Supervisor :
- Adriane Groggins
- Account Supervisor :
- Katie Conigliaro
- Account Supervisor :
- Janelle Greene-Todd
- Account Supervisor :
- Haylee Podrasky
- Research Manager :
- Rita Herbstman
- Senior Account Executive :
- Samantha Kennedy
- Senior Account Executive :
- Dani Bunch
- Account Executive :
- Natalie Schmickley
- Talent Agency :
- UTA Marketing
- PR Agency :
- Weber Shandwick
- Partner Agency :
- McCann-Detroit
- Media Agency :
- Carat
- EVP Content :
- Kerry Doyle
- EVP Planning :
- Theresa Thomas
- SVP Planning :
- Mary Angott
- Assistant Media Director Planning :
- Erin Brandewie
- Production Company :
- O Positive
- Director :
- David Shane
- Executive Producer :
- Ralph Laucella
- Executive Producer :
- Marc Grill
- Head of Production :
- Devon Clark
- Line Producer :
- Eric Liney
- Editorial Company :
- MackCut
- Editor :
- Gavin Cutler
- Assistant Editor :
- Louisa Phillips
- Sound Design :
- Sam Shaffer
- Post Executive Producer :
- Gina Pagano
- VFX Company :
- Framestore - NY
- Executive Creative Director :
- Aron Hjartarson
- Creative Director :
- Victoria Osborn
- VFX On-Set Supervisor :
- Sean Dollins
- VFX On-Set Supervisor :
- David Sudd
- Lead Flame :
- Devon Taylor
- Lead Flame :
- Kenzi Parker
- Lead Compositor :
- Karch Coon
- Lead CG Artist :
- Patrick Ross
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Jasen Aziz
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Alex Harding
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Alex Ling
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Corrina Wilson
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Danny Noren
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Dave Chen
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Sebastien Boulange
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Ryan Ninko
- CG Artist :
- Mike Papagni
- CG Artist :
- Minchung Cho
- CG Artist :
- Nicolas Copete
- CG Artist :
- Patrick Ross
- CG Artist :
- Rui Yang
- CG Artist :
- Sean Curran
- CG Artist :
- Francisco Diaz
- CG Artist :
- Erik Zimmerman
- CG Artist :
- John Montefusco
- CG Artist :
- Aaron Lawn
- CG Artist :
- Alejandro Perez
- CG Artist :
- Adam Thompson
- CG Artist :
- Frankie Siegel
- CG Artist :
- Kevin Rooney
- CG Artist :
- Meghan Pangiochi
- CG Artist :
- Omar Taher
- CG Artist :
- Divyesh Shah
- Digital Matte Painter :
- Benjamin Walant
- Digital Matte Painter :
- Harry Wormald
- Unreal Artist :
- Veronica Ferrari Delphin
- Unreal Artist :
- Mohamed Ashraf
- Online Editor :
- John DiMare
- Online Editor :
- Jacob Sadowsky
- Designer :
- Daniel Petersen
- VFX Executive Producer :
- Nick Fraser
- VFX Producer :
- Christina Chung
- VFX Production Coordinator :
- Jack Doremus
- Bidding Producer :
- Nadia Brent
- Virtual Production Company :
- Eyeline Studios
- President & CEO :
- Stephan Trojansky
- Executive Producer :
- Perry Kain
- Head of Production :
- Eranka Weerasuriya
- Virtual Production Supervisor :
- Lukas Lepicovsky
- Virtual Production Supervisor :
- Joe Ponsford
- Virtual Production Producer :
- Connie Siu
- Director of Imaging Technologies :
- Gabriel Dedic
- Unreal Engine Operator :
- Anne Kim
- Unreal Engine Operator :
- Matthew Valverde
- Unreal Engine Technician :
- John Millward
- Volumetric Capture Supervisor :
- Jan Huybrechs
- Volumetric Capture Operator :
- Samuel Price
- Volumetric Capture Operator :
- Nicholas Otto
- Motion Capture Stage Manager :
- Ari Karczag
- Motional Capture Stage Technician :
- Jose Gayda Parino III
- LED Technical Director :
- Kevin Izumi
- LED Technical Director :
- Price Wells
- Virtual Art Director :
- Carlos Fueyo
- Virtual Art Department :
- Juliette Duncan
- Virtual Art Department :
- Mahmoud Hesham
- Virtual Art Department :
- Riley Morrissey
- Virtual Art Department :
- Jonathan Owen
- Virtual Art Department :
- Christian Pokorny
- Virtual Art Department :
- Jonathan Reynolds
- Virtual Art Department :
- Chris Suddaby
- Volumetric Capture Processing :
- James Anderson
- Volumetric Capture Processing :
- Brian Garrett
- Volumetric Capture Processing :
- Andrea Jamiel
- Volumetric Capture Processing :
- Rafal Janicki
- Volumetric Capture Processing :
- Eric Krausz
- Volumetric Capture Processing :
- Redmyn Lee
- Volumetric Capture Processing :
- Holo Moon
- Volumetric Capture Processing :
- Joana Pupeter
- Volumetric Capture Processing :
- Nicol Du Toit
- Volumetric Capture Processing :
- Florian Wehner
- Virtual Production Department Manager :
- Gaby Rios
- Virtual Production Department Manager :
- Quinlan Saule
- Virtual Production Coordinator :
- Lianette Alnaber
- Virtual Production Coordinator :
- Alex Chun
- Virtual Production Coordinator :
- Emma Selinski
- Virtual Production Coordinator :
- Marc Thorineau
- Virtual Production Editor :
- Brian Tong
- Data Acquisition :
- Eric Krausz
- Data Acquisition :
- Jeffrey Wilson
- Director of Operations :
- Sammy Clark
- Assistant Stage Manager :
- Kyler Friol
- Head of Engineering :
- Maxx Lee
- IT :
- Sunny Koya
- VFX On-Set Supervisor :
- Jessica Harris
- VFX On-Set Supervisor :
- Derek Spears
- CG Supervisor :
- Pablovsky Ramos
- Associate VFX Producer :
- Nathanael Horton
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Jayson Davis
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Cederic Estevao
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Hyein Jeong
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Don Kim
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Yann Leroux
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Charana Mapatuna
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Ivanna Mikhaylova
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Danellie Norgate
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Elam Parithi
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Michael Queen
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Sofia Rioja
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Jay Seo
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Ken Stewart
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Scott Vosvurt
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Ed Walters
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Thomas Warrender
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Justin Wong
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Natalie Yoo
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Zach Zaubi
- 2D VFX Artist :
- Michael Zemaitis
- CG Artist :
- Rosie Bang
- CG Artist :
- David Capon
- CG Artist :
- Pochien Chen
- CG Artist :
- Yu-Ju Chen
- CG Artist :
- Pedro Dietrich
- CG Artist :
- Azzard Gordon
- CG Artist :
- Hyunsug Han
- CG Artist :
- Jeong Han
- CG Artist :
- David Herfindahl
- CG Artist :
- SeGwang Jan
- CG Artist :
- Minhee Kim
- CG Artist :
- Bomin Lee
- CG Artist :
- Wei Ling Lee
- CG Artist :
- Mamta Mamta
- CG Artist :
- Joe Mangione
- CG Artist :
- Celleste Ng
- CG Artist :
- Chaeyeon Park
- CG Artist :
- Melvyn Polayah
- CG Artist :
- Patrick Redmond
- CG Artist :
- Carsten Schulte-Braucks
- CG Artist :
- Amreen Singh
- CG Artist :
- Mohan Singh
- CG Artist :
- Magnus Skagerlund
- CG Artist :
- Youngmin Son
- CG Artist :
- John Sparks
- CG Artist :
- Nithya Thangamani
- CG Artist :
- Niklas Varga
- CG Artist :
- Blair Werschler
- CG Artist :
- Sidney Yang
- CG Artist :
- Kaan Yilmax
- CG Artist :
- Clim Yip
- VFX Department Manager :
- Pierre Alexander
- VFX Department Manager :
- Mohamed Ali
- VFX Department Manager :
- Elena Boulankova
- VFX Department Manager :
- Laura Dart
- VFX Department Manager :
- Anuja Desai
- VFX Department Manager :
- Beata Gyermank
- VFX Department Manager :
- Giulia Spagni
- Color Company :
- Company3
- Colorist :
- Skip Kimball
- Color Senior Executive Producer :
- Ananda Reavis
- Color Senior Producer :
- Dan Butler
- Color Producer :
- Jared Arkulary
- Color Senior Production Manager :
- Ryan Dale
- Color Assistant Production Manager :
- Kent Bueno
- Color Production Coordinator :
- Jack Molitor
- Color Production Coordinator :
- Jake Grom
- Color Short Form Lead Ops :
- Cory Musselman
- Color Prep Team :
- Griffin Nasser
- Music Company :
- Duotone
- Executive Music Producer :
- Ross Hopman
- Creative Director :
- Peter Nashel
- Sr Producer :
- Gio Lobato
- Composer :
- Jordan Lieb
- Composer :
- Eric Hachikian
- Sound Design Company :
- Sonic Union
- Sound Designer :
- Steve Rosen
- Audio Assistant :
- Joey Glick
- Audio Assistant :
- Macey Estes
- Executive Producer :
- Patrick Sullivan
- Mix Company :
- Sonic Union
- Audio Mixer :
- Steve Rosen
- Audio Mixer :
- Julienne Guffain
- Audio Assist :
- Joey Glick
- Audio Assist :
- Macey Estes
- Executive Producer :
- Patrick Sullivan
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