BBDO New York’s live commercial for Snickers during yesterday’s Super Bowl went horribly wrong, and that was kinda the point.
The ad, which starred Adam Driver (Girls, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Silence), expanded on Snickers’ tried and tested messaging that you shouldn’t do anything important when you’re hungry— even act. It was pitched as the first ever live advert to run during the third quarter of the big game.
Before the advert went ‘live’, Snickers ambassador and social media influencers got in on the gag:
#SNICKERSLive will be unlike anything I’ve ever seen in my 95
years! Make sure you’re watching during the 3rd quarter! #SB51 #sponsored— Betty White (@BettyMWhite) February 5, 2017
omg i’m on set right now at the #SnickersLive commercial & omg did y’all see what happened?? #ad https://t.co/hMNEe7tX00
— Tyler Oakley (@tyleroakley) February 6, 2017
hanging out on set at the #SnickersLive super bowl commercial, it’s gonna be so good!! look at the saloon name y’all picked!! #ad ???? pic.twitter.com/HoUd7tYjfS
— Tyler Oakley (@tyleroakley) February 6, 2017
Me and all my friends CAN’T WAIT for the #SnickersLive commercial!!! Tune in at https://t.co/Id8MyTshpz@Snickers#Sponsoredpic.twitter.com/wfQ93Ii68N
— Brodie Smith (@Brodiesmith21) February 6, 2017
Check out the live Snickers’ commercial:
https://youtu.be/_9M_wQDTTdk
A press release early Monday elaborated: “Hunger was the root cause of an off-the-field fumble during the Snickers live Super Bowl LI commercial last night as Adam Driver missed his mark to begin the spot. The mishap demonstrated once more the effects of what can happen when you’re hungry and off your game.”
The #SNICKERSLive #SB51 commercial did not go as planned. We apologize.
— SNICKERS® (@SNICKERS) February 6, 2017
Allison Miazga-Bedrick, Snickers brand director added: “Just as life often imitates art, hunger got the best of Adam Driver. We recognize the Snickers Live Super Bowl Commercial did not go as planned, so we’re issuing a buy one get one free offer for regular Snickers or Snickers Crisper bars at retailers nationwide to help fans prevent hunger mishaps of their own.”
Twitter wasn’t really buying it:
That WAS not live @SNICKERS. That wasn’t even remotely LIVE #SnickersLive … that better not be IT! If so… BOOOO!
— Reid Harris Cooper (@reidhcooper) February 6, 2017
That @SNICKERS ad was hyped as the first live Superbowl ad. It wasn’t the first, and, it wasn’t very good either. #BringBackBetty
— Kristin Comeforo (@brandDR) February 6, 2017
If anyone actually thought that #SnickersLive commercial was actually live, let me tell you about a bridge that’s currently for sale…
— Jonny Fantastico (@JFantastico6) February 6, 2017
If you have to guess at what they were attempting, it’s not effective storytelling. #SuperBowl Sorry #snickerslive https://t.co/bkdFBumFLC
— stephanie smith (@SSmithNYC) February 6, 2017
So #snickerslive was Adam Driver destroying Westworld or? #SuperBowl
— kristina monllos (@kristinamonllos) February 6, 2017
Adam Driver apologised for the failure:
https://youtu.be/UiQFIAQ-Bd8
