When your day starts at with waking up at 6 a.m. to walk the dog and gets busier from there, you might be looking for an easy dinner option.
Set to Dion‘s 1961 hit “Runaround Sue” (which seems a good fit if you don’t consider its original subject matter), Grey’s pregame Super Bowl spot for Applebee’s follows a doctor and mom through an extraordinarily hectic day that includes a morning workout, visits with patients, a presentation and more. When it comes time to think of something for dinner, she quickly orders ahead at Applebee’s and is home with a meal in no time thanks to the brand’s Car Side to Go service.
“Applebee’s turnaround has increased our relevance, and it’s a natural fit for our brand because our guests love sports and love the Super Bowl. We’re excited to be back in the pregame festivities,” Applebee’s CMO Joel Yashinsky told AgencySpy. “Our guests love football, and as a brand built on Americana values, we think it’s the perfect way for us to share how we connect every day with Americans in their neighborhood.”
Regarding the musical selection, he added, “The song ‘Runaround Sue’ is a classic and beloved song that we feel best represents the hectic and hurried daily life of our hero character, who embodies many Applebee’s customers and their desire for convenient food options in an increasingly busy world.”
In addition to the 30-second version running during the Super Bowl pregame show, an extended 60-second version of the spot will run online beginning on Feb. 4.
Yashinsky explained that the digital ad will be focused “more on direct response and driving people to Applebees.com to place their to-go orders,” while utilizing YouTube’ TrueView platform.