In its first Super Bowl appearance in 30 years, New York Life took a serious tone that highlights different types of love.

The 60-second ad, which was handled by New York Life’s agency of record Anomaly and directed by Cole Webley of Sanctuary Content, explores the different types of love originating in ancient Greece. 

The spot runs through Philia (friendship), storge (brotherly love) and eros (romantic love) before culminating in the most profound type of love, “Agape,” or love as an action. It puts the spotlight on people doing these selfless acts of “Agape” love, including a grown son washing his elderly father and student athletes shaving their heads in solidarity with a cancer-stricken teammate. 

New York Life’s ad is narrated by actress Tessa Thompson, who has appeared in movies such as “Selma” and “Creed,” and was scored by composer Max Richter, who has created music for opera, ballet, films and TV shows.

The first-quarter spot kicks off New York Life’s new “Love Takes Action” campaign, which will run throughout 2020 to celebrate the company’s 175th anniversary. The campaign is set to include additional assets that highlight notable milestones in the company’s history, such as hiring the first female insurance agents in the 1890s and standing by policy owners during the Great Depression.

New York Life last appeared in the Super Bowl in 1990.

BRAND: New York Life

AGENCY: Anomaly

QUARTER AIRED: Q1

SUPER BOWL: LIV

YEAR: 2020