Jack Link’s Sasquatch Rediscovers His Wild Side in Super Bowl Debut in Minneapolis

Aren’t there enough brawny, big-footed bruisers suiting up for the Super Bowl already? Apparently not, because Jack Link’s is putting Sasquatch in the game.

The hulking, hirsute humanoid will roar into play during the third quarter of NBC’s telecast—starring in a minute-long spot running in Minneapolis, home of Jack Link’s marketing division and Carmichael Lynch, the company’s longtime agency partner. Super Bowl LII is also being played there, at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Sasquatch has more bite than we’ve seen from him lately. As the brand-boosting beast races through the woods, humans either run proudly by his side or scurry frantically to escape his clutches.

A voiceover informs us, “Only two types of people have ever existed. Those who run with Sasquatch—and those who run from Sasquatch. Those who feed on Jack Link’s jerky—a protein snack made with 100 percent beef—and those who don’t.”

Whoa! Judging from those final shots, Sasquatch caught up to that pack-laden camper and enjoyed a “protein snack” of his own.

“It’s true, Sasquatch is more ferocious in this campaign,” Allison Hayes, creative director at Carmichael Lynch, tells Adweek. “We felt like he was becoming a bit too much of a ‘house cat,’ and wanted to take him back to his roots—outdoors and in the wild.”

“Feed Your Wild Side” is the tagline, and more spots in a similar vein will break later in February.

Sasquatch has worked out with NFL players in the past, so maybe his big-game debut was inevitable.

“The Super Bowl acts as a testament to the ultimate athletic performance, and as the ultimate protein snack, it’s the right territory for the brand,” explains Jack Link’s CMO Tom Dixon. “‘Running With Sasquatch’ pays homage to those that don’t just survive, they thrive.”

Hayes says the creative team didn’t know during the production process that Sasquatch would appear during the Super Bowl.

“The campaign was supposed to launch a few weeks later, and this particular spot was actually never on paper,” she says. “It started as a bonus piece of content that we cut from the highlights of the rest of the campaign, but there was a ton of love for it, and we saw the opportunity from a timing standpoint. This campaign is about people who have what it takes to run with Sasquatch. What better pop-culture moment to highlight that than the biggest game of the year featuring the toughest competition?”

• For all the latest Super Bowl advertising news—who’s in, who’s out, teasers, full ads and more—check out Adweek’s Super Bowl LII Ad Tracker. And join us on the evening of Feb. 4 for the best in-game coverage of the Super Bowl commercials anywhere.

CREDITS
Client: Jack Link’s
Campaign: Runnin’ with Sasquatch
Spots: Mountain Biking with Sasquatch, Hiking with Sasquatch, Glamping, Falconry, Anthem

Agency: Carmichael Lynch
Chief Creative Officer: Marty Senn
Group Creative Director: Josh Leutz
Creative Director: Allison Hayes
Creative Director: Luke Oeth
Writer: Chris Vandersall
Art Director: Arthur Stewart
Account Management Team: Alissa Anderson, Catherine Day, Quinlyn Mullaney
Brand Planning: Sarah Poluha, Meagan Pagliara
Media: Tracy Krulich, Nellie Murray, Melissa Bakewell
Public Relations: Allison Dunning, Whitney McShane, Rebecca Lunna
Social Engagement: Jeannie Rodway, Gemma Forbush, Matt Avignon Petersen

Production Company: Matre Productions
Executive Producer: Lisa Keljik
Content Producer: Rick Fuller
Business Manager: Michelle Caron
Account Services: Kate Moret
Business Affairs: Brent Larson

Production Company: PF100
Director: Dugan O’Neal
Executive Producer: Barry Sonders
Line Producer: Malcolm Wax
Director of Photography: Logan Triplett

Editorial: Drive Thru Editorial
Senior Creative Editor: Mick Uzendoski
Assistant Editor: Dan Laschansky
Online/Flame Artist: Derek Johnson
Flame Artist: Randy Gackstetter
Executive Producer: Beth Wilson

Color Grading: The Mill/LA
Colorist: Greg Reese
Color Producer: Diane Valera
Executive Producer: Thatcher Peterson

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