Will Febreze’s First-Ever Super Bowl Ad Pass the Smell Test?

Febreze doesn’t want you to stink up the bathroom on Super Bowl Sunday.

In fact, the Procter & Gamble brand’s first-ever big-game commercial, developed by Grey New York, suggests folks use Febreze during their halftime potty break to keep such potentially smelly situations under control.

Airing in the second quarter, the 30-second spot focuses on the fact that millions of viewers rush to their toilets at the mid-point break in the action.

“I love you, halftime bathroom break,” begins comic actress Kathryn Hahn (Crossing Jordan, Parks and Recreation, Transparent) in the voiceover of the teaser below. “On Super Bowl night, for two-plus hours of can’t-see football and must-see commercials, we do the unthinkable—we hold it, until the halftime whistle blows.”

UPDATE, Jan. 30: Below is the in-game spot, as well as an extended cut:

Febreze with OdorCare, “our toughest [odor-eliminating] formula to date … is the largest product innovation since our inception nearly 18 years ago,” Martin Hettich, vp of P&G Home Care North America and Brand Franchise Leader for Global Air Care, tells Adweek. “We have no pre-game jitters. We are really excited for the work, and we think it will drive a head nod and laugh from the millions of game-watching fans who can relate to the halftime bathroom break.”

The Super Bowl splurge is part of the brand’s broader new “Odor Odes” campaign, with more ads voiced by Hahn, including this funky little furniture number starring a scent-obsessed dude with an incredibly itchy Febreze trigger finger:

Bro, if it reeks that bad, maybe train Rover to stay off it. Or get a new sofa!

CREDITS
Client: P&G / Febreze

Agency: Grey New York
Chief Creative Officer, Grey New York: Andreas Dahlqvist
Executive Creative Director, Grey New York: Jeff Stamp
Executive Creative Director, Grey New York: Leo Savage
Creative Director, Grey New York: Lance Parrish
Creative Director, Grey New York: Stephen Nathans
Associate Creative Director, Grey New York: Patrick Conlon
Associate Creative Director, Grey New York: Will Gardner
Copywriter: David Mattera, Cuanan Cronwright, Leo Barbosa
Project Director: Hank Romero
Strategy Director, Grey New York: Justine Feron
Strategist, Grey New York: Toni Dawkins
EVP / Global Account Director, Grey New York: Rick Reilly
SVP / Global Account Director, Grey New York: Mercedes Campos
VP / Account Director, Grey New York: Kelly Norris
Account Supervisor, Grey New York: Tim Carpenter
Account Executive, Grey New York: Stephen Koepp
Assistant Account Executive, Grey New York: Hannah Byrne

Production Agency: Townhouse
Townhouse President: Bennett McCarroll
Townhouse SVP Head of Integrated Production: James McPherson
Townhouse Exec. Integrated Producer: Tania Salter
Townhouse Integrated Producer: Emily Darby
Townhouse Music Producer: Zach Pollakoff, David Lapinsky
Production Company: Knucklehead
Executive Producer: Cathleen Kisich
Director: Rob Leggatt
Director of Photography: Ben Davis
Music/Sound Design: Townhouse Studios
Principal Talent: Kathryn Hahn

Editorial: Final Cut
Editor: Joe Guest
Executive Producer: Sarah Roebuck
Head of Production: Jen Sienkwicz
Producer (NY): Brad Wood
Producer (UK): Frankie Elster
Assistant Editor (NY): Dan Berk
Assistant Editor (UK): Kit Wells

Postproduction Company: Significant Others
Creative Director: Dirk Greene
Lead VFX Artist: Dirk Greene
VFX Artist: Betty Cameron
VFX Artist: Eric Gelgand
GFX Artist: Phillip Brooks
GFX Artist: Will Kim
VFX Producer: Alek Rost

Telecine Company: Color Collective
Colorist: Alex Bickel
Executive Color Producer: Claudia Guevara

Content Curation & Clearances: Catch&Release