After the United States’s “Big Three” automakers opted out of advertisements during the 2024 Super Bowl, four major foreign auto companies filled the gap.
General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler decided not to put out advertisements during the most coveted advertising spot of the year, possibly due to the estimated cost of $7 million for 30 seconds. Four major foreign motor companies — Volkswagen, BMW, Kia, and Toyota — were keen to take up their absence.
The ads largely focused on electric vehicles at a time when the U.S. government is looking to transition away from internal combustion engines to electric power.
Volkswagen: “An American Love Story”
One of the most commented-on commercials was a one-minute advert from Volkswagen featuring the brand’s history in the U.S., with a particular focus on its famous Beetle and buses. The video featured a montage beginning in 1949, showcasing pop culture references throughout the years. It concluded by teasing the 2025 ID.Buzz electric bus, which could go on the market as soon as this year.
While the commercial struck a chord with some, it also led to widespread mockery on social media over the decision to air an advertisement hailing Volkswagen’s history. The company was founded by the labor wing of the Nazi party in 1937 and utilized extensive slave labor from concentration camp inmates.
BMW: “Talkin’ Like Walken”
The second German car company to put out an ad was BMW, leaning into star power with its minute-long advert featuring actor Christopher Walken. The ad promoting the new BMW i5 M60 leaned into a running joke around people’s propensity to mimic the Oscar-winning actor.
“It’s the real deal. 100% … electric,” he said of the vehicle in his famous cadence, followed by a poor imitation by a valet.
Toyota: “Dareful Handle”
The Japanese Toyota put out a 30-second ad for its new 2024 Toyota Tacoma, making it the only Super Bowl ad for a conventional internal combustion engine vehicle. The ad boasted of the new Tacoma being the “most powerful Tacoma ever.”
Toyota unveiled its first mass-produced electric vehicle last year, the 2023 Toyota bZ4X, though it was not showcased in the ad.
Electric trucks, in general, have proven much harder to catch on than electric cars.
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Kia: “Perfect 10”
The South Korean Kia continued the trend of EV ads, featuring its new EV9. The ad featured a short story about a young skater who is saddened after her grandfather is unable to attend her competition. Kia makes its new EV9 a central point of the story, with its features providing a power source allowing the grandfather to view the skater’s performance from his window.
