A Super Bowl commercial for Pepsi humorously referenced one of the most iconic kiss cam moments ever captured.
The Super Bowl event has once again concluded, with the New England Patriots facing a 13-29 defeat against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on February 8.
In addition to the sporting spectacle and an impressive halftime show, this event marked the biggest TV broadcast in the US, featuring its usual array of advertisements.
Every year, brands compete for a coveted advertising slot during the game, anticipating an audience of about 127.7 million viewers, making it a prime opportunity for advertisers despite the high cost of airtime.
Pepsi seized the occasion to air a light-hearted commercial, spotlighting their ongoing rivalry with Coca-Cola and incorporating a viral kiss cam moment.
You can probably guess where this is heading…
The advertisement shows a polar bear engaging in a blind taste test between Pepsi and Coca-Cola. The bear is visibly startled to find they prefer Pepsi when they remove the blindfold, a nod to past taste tests where participants had a similar preference for Pepsi.
The polar bear appears shocked, unable to believe their choice of Pepsi over Coke.
Transitioning to the next scene, the bear finds itself in a therapy session, with director and actor Taika Waititi playing the therapist. The bear clumsily falls off the couch and is prompted to ‘tell me about your mother’.
The scene then shifts to the bear wistfully gazing through a restaurant window at a group enjoying pizza and Pepsi.
As the bear’s breath clouds the glass, another bear joins, offering a comforting paw and a can of Pepsi.
The two bears seem to connect well, as they are later seen on a kiss cam at a concert, each holding a can of Pepsi.
The bears stand in a pose reminiscent of a famous kiss cam incident involving former Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and the company’s Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot, during a Coldplay concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
When the kiss cam focused on them, Byron and Cabot quickly separated, with Cabot dropping to the floor.
Chris Martin commented: “Oh, what? Either they’re having an affair or they’re just really shy.”
Awkward.
In contrast, the bears in the ad do not react the same way.
Rather than hiding, they look surprised, then proceed to smile and wave at the audience.