Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
While football may not be everyone’s thing, this Sunday’s Super Bowl match up between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers is still expected to draw in over 100 million spectators from all over the world. Whether you’re tuning in to watch the game or to catch the half time show, many can agree the Super Bowl is the best time of year for commercials to hit the air. This year, a 30-second time slot during the Super Bowl will cost companies $5.5 million dollars according to The Wall Street Journal. While celebrity endorsement is typical for a Super Bowl ad, these next five commercials took rock n’roll to the next level to satisfy rock fans from generations old and new.
1) Pepsi ft. Jimi Hendrix
In a classic Pepsi vs. Coke Super Bowl ad, this 2004 commercial sees a fictional 11-year-old Jimi Hendrix in his native Seattle during the early 1950s. The young, not yet guitarist, is forced to pick between the two beverage companies while his famous “Purple Haze” plays in the background.
2) Kia Motors ft. Steven Tyler
Using the power of Kia Motors, Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler takes a trip back to the 70s in this galvanizing Super Bowl ad from 2018. The commercial sees Tyler driving alongside the band’s 1973 hit “Dream On,” only to arrive at his destination looking decades younger. CGI technology helped capture a younger looking Tyler who emerged from the car looking like he did back in the 70s.
3) Desert Financial ft. Alice Cooper
In 2018 Alice Cooper teamed up with Desert Financial to use his song “School’s Out” to announce the company’s new name change. The Super Bowl ad stayed authentic to Cooper’s aesthetic by featuring a guillotine during the commercial which can commonly be seen on the road during Cooper’s live show.
4) Best Buy ft. Ozzy Osbourne and Justin Bieber
Nothing sells better than the Sharon & Ozzy Osbourne relationship fans got to see on their MTV reality show The Osbournes back in 2002. Mix in teenage heartthrob Justin Bieber and the whole family can enjoy this 2011 Best Buy commercial for the Super Bowl.
5) Pepsi ft. Queen, Beyoncé, Britney Spears, P!nk & Enrique Iglesias
While Britney Spears, Beyoncé, P!nk and Enrique Iglesias may not seem like rockstars, everything about this 2004 Super Bowl commercial screams rock n’ roll. Quite possibly the biggest stars of their generation, Spears, Beyoncé and P!nk can be seen igniting a crowd of spectators to the iconic Queen mega hit “We Will Rock You.” Audience members include Enrique Iglesias and legendary Queen alumni Roger Taylor and Brian May signing along. Pepsi didn’t hold back for this three minute commercial back in 2004 when advertising slots for the Super Bowl were reportedly going for $2.3 million per 30-seconds.
Watch Super Bowl LV Sunday Feb. 7 @ 6:30 pm EST
