Will Ferrell Dead-Pans With Netflix in General Motors Co-Branded Super Bowl Ad

Netflix and General Motors are back in the Big Game—but this time together.

The two brands teamed up for a 60-second Super Bowl ad featuring Will Ferrell as the newest lead in top Netflix series including Stranger Things, Squid Game, Bridgerton, Army of the Dead, Love is Blind and more, with GM electric vehicles heavily featured.

The ad is part of General Motors’ “Everybody In” campaign, first launched in 2021, and is designed to highlight the company’s efforts towards the mass adoption of electric vehicles.

“For us at Netflix, it was really a no-brainer,” Netflix CMO Marian Lee said during a call with reporters. “We want to create joy for our members, and we want our partnerships to provide to our partners and give Netflix the opportunity to engage new and existing fans through creative storytelling and campaigns.”

GM and Netflix released two teasers on Thursday, showing Ferrell in the world of Squid Game and Army of the Dead. A 60-second cut will run during the second quarter of the 2023 Super Bowl on Feb. 12 on Fox—an ad buy that can cost more than $7 million.

The first teaser, “Directions,” shows Ferrell in an electric vehicle asking a zombie for some roadside assistance. The second, “Mask,” puts the actor squarely in the Squid Game universe.

The campaign was done in partnership with agency The Community, and there will also be 30-second, 15-second, 10-second and 6-second spots in the future.

Both Netflix and GM also had spots in Super Bowl 56. Netflix’s 60-second spot was led by Ryan Reynolds, and GM’s brought back Mike Meyers as Austin Power’s Dr. Evil.

With the new spots, Ferrell continues his relationship with GM. The actor first appeared in GM’s 2021 Super Bowl spot when he challenged America to beat Norway in terms of electric vehicle penetration.

Just the beginning

In 2022, Netflix committed to including at least one electric vehicle in every Netflix-produced film or series, which Lee said was part of its broader efforts in the sustainability space. And GM fits right into that plan.

GM electric vehicles have already been featured in unscripted series Love is Blind and Queer Eye. And over the next year, GM electric vehicles will have several new appearances in Netflix shows and films, including Love is Blind, Queer Eye and Unstable, which will feature the Chevrolet Bolt EUV, GMC Hummer EV Pickup and Cadillac LYRIQ, respectively. 

Lee described the partnership as “long-term” with no end date in mind, a notion Wahl reiterated.

“It’s the way that we’re looking at doing our marketing moving forward,” Wahl added, saying the two CMOs want to rewrite the marketing playbook. “I hope there won’t ever be an end, and hopefully, we’ll see the world transition quickly.”

Full Swing ahead

In a second combined spot, Netflix partnered with Michelob to promote its upcoming golf-focused docuseries Full Swing.

The 30-second ad features pro golfer Rickie Fowler, former NFL quarterback Tony Romo and soccer champion Alex Morgan on the course as they get an early look at the new show—while drinking beer, of course.

The spot includes a QR code that viewers can scan to get early access to the first episode of the series, available until Feb. 13 at 11:59 p.m. For those who miss out, the show is set to premiere on Feb. 15.

“We really felt like there was this opportunity to bring our two brands together to tell a unique story and give a lot more, share moments of this joy of the game to more people,” Magno Herran, vp of marketing partnerships at Netflix, told Adweek.

The Michelob and Netflix spot is the second part of a larger Michelob Super Bowl push. The first 60-second ad stars Serena Williams and Brian Cox and was inspired by Caddyshack.

“The world that they’ve created with all these athletes engaging with golf is so much fun,” said Herran. “We have that last element of the 30-second spot which is their characters [and] some athletes engaging with the show itself.”

The ad will air at some point during the game after the Serena-led spot, though not consecutively.

With additional reporting by Lisa Lacy.

For the latest Super Bowl 57 advertising news—who’s in, who’s out, teasers, full ads and more—check out Adweek’s Super Bowl 2023 Ad Tracker and the rest of our stories here. And join us on the evening of Feb. 12 for the best in-game coverage of the commercials.