- Eleftheria Parpis

NEW YORK Bridgestone, the sponsor of the Super Bowl XLIII Halftime Show starring Bruce Springsteen, will run a pair of 30-second spots during the NBC telecast on Feb. 1. One stars Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head and another takes viewers to Saturn's largest moon.

"When it comes to getting your message out there, no advertising opportunity compares to the reach and impact of the Super Bowl," said John Baratta, president of the client's consumer replacement tire sales operations in the U.S. and Canada. "The commercials we've chosen use humor, iconic characters and some pretty amazing special effects to entertain, all while showcasing Bridgestone products and their performance."

In one spot called "Taters" that will run at the end of the first quarter, Hasbro's famous spuds duo, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, enjoy a sunny, picturesque drive until a heard of sheep show up on a tight curve.

In "Hot Item," airing in the third quarter, two travelers use a space vehicle equipped with Bridgestone tires to visit Titan, Saturn's largest moon.

The Richards Group in Dallas crafts creative for the client.

Last year, Bridgestone's Super Bowl spots included a commercial pairing Alice Cooper and Richard Simmons, and a spot that showed a speeding car approaching a squirrel, which hollers and sets off a chain of screams in the animal kingdom, including the passenger in the car.

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