"It's halftime in America," declared actor Clint Eastwood in the latest Chrysler Super Bowl ad.
He didn’t sell beer, corn chips or soft drinks, and he certainly wasn’t aiming for laughs. But Clint Eastwood’s unusual appearance in a Chrysler corporate Super Bowl commercial has become one of the widely watched game’s most talked-about spots.
The turn by the well-respected star marked the second year in a row that Chrysler focused as much or more on a social issue as on its own products with a long and costly commercial dubbed, “It’s Halftime in America.”
In 2011, the resurgent automaker enlisted rapper Eminem to anchor a 2-minute commercial that focused specifically on Detroit, a city – and a domestic industry — long counted out by many Americans. For Super Bowl XLVI, the highly cinematic and equally lengthy Chrysler spot opens with an actor sometimes known as “the man with no name” emerging from the shadows to address the troubled times the nation is now facing.
The face of a young girl from the Clint Eastwood Chrysler commercial.
“It’s halftime. Both teams are in their locker room discussing what they can do to win this game in the second half,” Eastwood began – appropriately enough, as the spot marked the start of the third quarter of the annual football extravaganza. “It’s halftime in America, too. People are out of work and they’re hurting. And they’re all wondering what they’re going to do to make a comeback. And we’re all scared, because this isn’t a game.”
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The commercial made mention of Motown, Eastwood proclaiming, “The people of Detroit know a little something about this. They almost lost everything. But we all pulled together, now Motor City is fighting again.” But the star notably failed to mention Chrysler by name and, unlike the 2011 Eminem spot, which focused on the launch of the maker’s 200 sedan, there was no specific Chrysler product in the spotlight.
In fact, one could argue that the message might as easily have been delivered by one of Chrysler’s two Detroit rivals.
“Detroit’s showing us it can be done. And, what’s true about them is true about all of us,” Eastwood concluded, “This country can’t be knocked out with one punch. We get right back up again and when we do the world is going to hear the roar of our engines. Yeah, it’s halftime America. And, our second half is about to begin.”
The Chrysler ad contrasted scenes from a troubled America with an uplifting message that might have emerged from the locker room.
Did the spot score? The results last year were mixed, the Eminem commercial clearly resonating in Motown and other worn-down industrial communities but generating less enthusiasm elsewhere according to traditional measures of advertising effectiveness. Yet, the 2-minute video was downloaded millions of times on Youtube and other outlets and was widely discussed long after most Super Bowl fans could no longer remember the beer and snack food spots. Perhaps only the “Darth Vader” spot for Volkswagen had more staying power.
Notably both VW and Chrysler scored significant sales increases in the months following the big football game – while the social message was also widely referred to as a rallying cry in Detroit itself.
As for Eastwood, will he make Chrysler’s day? “Dogs are still a Super Bowl advertiser’s best friend,” declared USA Today, which hosts a widely followed panel following the many ads airing during the game – at a price tag of as much as $3 million for just 30 seconds of airtime.
Chrysler products appeared only briefly in the new commercial and were mentioned neither by name - nor in subtitles.
“But for the first time in years, in a nation where unemployment still hovers above 8% and one still embroiled in two wars, a serious ad garnered serious attention,” the publication proclaimed. Because the Eastwood spot aired during the halftime show and not during the game itself, however, the newspaper’s panel did not issue a formal rating.
But the buzz online was overwhelmingly, if not unanimously, positive.
“Loved the Chrysler ad! 40 years of being a GREAT American actor trumps any political card,” said Mike Caudill, in a Facebook posting. “Shoot I even had a mixed bag of Dems and Reps at the house for the game and the whole room got silent to pay attention. We all loved it!”
Meanwhile, Joseph Radding wrote, “The most successful advertising is based on authenticity and emotional connection. Clint, Chrysler, Detroit, halftime in America. Bravo. ”
Chrysler's partner brand, Fiat, turned to more traditional techniques - mixing lust and humor - to pitch the new Fiat 500 Abarth Edition.
Chrysler didn’t entirely ignore the more traditional advertising conventions using humor – and lust – to sell product. The maker also aired a shorter, 30-second spot for the new Fiat 500 Abarth Edition that features a young man fantasizing over one of the little cars, turning it into a beautiful woman in his mind. But even there, the maker took a risk, the dialogue entirely in Italian until the final tagline.
The Eastwood spot reportedly received a roaring reception when first shown to Chrysler dealers who had gathered in Las Vegas, over the weekend, for the National Automobile Dealers Association convention. But other than on sites like YouTube, there’s a strong chance Eastwood won’t continue pitching for Chrysler – even in the form of social messaging.
The 2011 Eminem ad had a limited run, the rapper used just once though footage from the shot – along with numerous outtakes and some of his music – were used in other Chrysler commercials throughout the following year.
Chrysler executive Olivier Francois, who oversaw the creation of the Eminem spot, stressed that the maker does not plan to focus on celebrity endorsements and does not plan to use the same stars over and over again if there is a not a clear and direct “connection” to the product.