Merkley & Partners launched a 30-second teaser for Mercedes’ Super Bowl spot, featuring NFL legend Jerry Rice.
In the teaser for “The Big Race,” Rice discusses who will win the race between the Tortoise and the Hare with eight-year-old and “pet rabbit owner” Andrew Hunter. When Hunter reveals he doesn’t know the difference between a rabbit and a hare (they are both members of the Leporidae family, but belong to different genera), Rice tells him maybe he should “figure that out before debating the best wide receiver of all time.” Rice is then more than a little taken aback at Hunter’s response.
The ad is designed to mimic the buildup of anticipation leading to the Super Bowl, with Merkley & Partners having created its own version of the big game in “The Big Race.” Like with the Super Bowl, the weeks leading up to the event are filled with speculation and predictions. The teaser will air both on broadcast and online. Mercedes has also rolled out a social extension that includes Twitter accounts for the Tortoise and the Hare and a call for viewers to show their support by tweeting either #TeamTortoise or #TeamHare.
Drew Slaven, VP-marketing, Mercedes-Benz, divulged to AdAge that a specific Mercedes model will be a major factor in the brand’s Super Bowl spot. “There is a hero at the end of the race,” he added.