Snickers and Omnicom's BBDO New York continue the "You're Not You When You're Hungry" gag previously seen in the Super Bowl with Betty White's hard tackle in 2010 ("Game"), Richard Lewis the ambivalent lumberjack in 2011 ("Logging") and Danny Trejado as Marcia Brady in 2015 ("Very Brady").
In the 2016 installment, Marilyn Monroe is filming "The Seven Year Itch" while hungry and, as such, is Willem Defoe. It's a relief to see her smiling face once she gets a bite of Snickers. Eugene Levy provides the second-punchline comic relief characteristic of comedic Super Bowl ads.
Snickers released a teaser on Jan. 26 showing a famished Marilyn Monroe not quite nailing her attempt to reprise her classic "Happy Birthday" performance. On Feb. 3, the Wednesday before Super Bowl Sunday, it released the entire ad, revealing Defoe as her alter ego.
Mars' Snickers brand joined sibling Skittles ("The Portrait") and Nestle's Butterfinger ("Bolder Than Bold") in the fight for sweet-toothed viewers watching the 2016 game. Mars evidently liked the return on its investment, announcing in May 2016 that it would buy time for Snickers in the 2017 game ("Old West") and eventually getting Skittles a berth as well ("Romance"). Snickers' first Super Bowl appearance came 20 years earlier with the classic "Marv Levy," also by BBDO.
Director: Jim Jenkins, who also directed "Very Brady." Production Company: O Positive.
BBDO worldwide chief creative officer: David Lubars. New York chief creative officer: Greg Hahn. Executive creative directors: Gianfranco Arena, Peter Kain. Creative directors: Scott Mahoney, Dan Oliva. Director of integrated production: David Rolfe. Group executive producer: Amy Wertheimer. Executive producer: Alex Gianni. Executive music producer: Melissa Chester. Managing director: Kirsten Flanik. Global account director: Susannah Keller. Account director: Joshua Steinman. Account manager: Tani Corbacho. Account executive: Jocelyn Choi. Group planning director: Annemarie Norris. Senior planner: Alaina Crystal. Senior communications planner: Sean Stogner.
Celebrity talent and IP rights acquisition: Brad Sheehan, The Marketing Arm. Editorial: Mackcut. Editor: Ian Mackenzie.
BRAND: Snickers
YEAR: 2016
AGENCY: BBDO
SUPERBOWL: 50
QUARTER AIRED: Q1
