The Green Bay Packers weren't the only ones who had a good night.
Carmakers scored high in the Super Bowl ad wars throughout the evening, with some of the night's most memorable pitches.
As reported previously on CultureMap Volkswagen's Darth Vader ad, in which a little boy uses his special powers to emulate the classic Star Wars character, was endearing and funny.
Volkswagen also scored with a short ad featuring black beetles — real insects (or CGI invention) — racing through the forest.
Chrysler's two minute ad, an homage to the power of Detroit automakers featuring Eminem, ran more than two minutes but was so expertly filmed and edited that it raced by. And the kicker line, "Imported from Detroit," packed just the right punch.
An Audi ad, In which inmates in a luxury prison escape despite guards playing Kenny G music to try to lure them back, had me laughing. It also took a not-so-subtle swipe at rival Mercedes-Benz. (The only inmate smart enough to choose an Audi as a getaway car escapes. "It's a trap," an escapee is warned as he gets into a Mercedes. " No, my grandfather owned one," he replies, as the car takes him back into the prison.)
Alas, Audi took down the video from YouTube, which kind of defeats the purpose of being watched, don't you think? We will post it when they release it.
Chevy ran a heartwarming ad for its new Cruze, in which a driver uses the car's Onstar features to check his Facebook update status after a first date and is pleased to learn she had a good time.
The carmaker also carried its advertising into the hit series, Glee, which followed the Super Bowl on Fox.
It featured a Busby Berkeley production number as Glee star Michelle sang,"See the USA in your Chevrolet." It was an homage to 1950s Chevy ads when Dinah Shore made the jingle famous. The ad was so over-the-top cheeky that it worked, capping a great night for automakers.
Legendary rockers Styx and Kevin Cronin, lead singer of REO Speedwagon, will team up to co-headline the “Brotherhood of Rock” tour in 2025, which will include a stop at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands on Friday, June 6.
The large, 40-city tour will take place over three months, starting in Greenville, South Carolina on May 28, and wrapping up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on August 24.
In addition to Houston, the tour will go to Austin on June 4 and Dallas on August 1. It will include special guest Don Felder, former lead guitarist for the Eagles, at all dates.
Fans can expect some of the greatest rock anthems of all time, including “Renegade,” “Keep On Loving You,” “Come Sail Away,” “Can't Fight This Feeling,” and “Hotel California.”
Styx and Cronin (as part of REO Speedwagon) first toured together in 2000 and in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks, coming together to form the Rock to the Rescue 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. This will mark their sixth time joining forces on the road.
2022 was the 50th anniversary of Styx's self-titled debut album, but they have yet to slow down. The band released their 17th album, Crash of the Crown, in 2021. Of course, not everyone is a fan, as this classic clip from The Simpsons illustrates.
REO Speedwagon's recording days appear to be done, with their last album coming out in 2009, but the main group of five has been together since 1989. On this tour, Cronin will be joined by REO's lead guitarist Dave Amato and drummer Bryan Hitt.
General tickets for the tour will go on sale starting on Friday, December 13 at 10 am at LiveNation.com.
Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets in the U.S. beginning on December 9 at 10 am through the Citi Entertainment program.
Styx and Kevin Cronin will be offering VIP packages via their own exclusive pre-sales beginning on Tuesday, December 10 at 10 am, as well as at LiveNation.com.
