TBT: Anna Kendrick, Newcastle and the amazing Super Bowl spot(s) that never were

How ‘bout a little TBT to one of my all-time favorites?

Super Bowl Sunday is only a few weeks away. That means lots huge ad spends for lots of brands going all-in on TV commercials they hope will somehow show defensible ROI. It’s a time of year that always reminds me of one of the most memorable Super Bowl ad campaign I’ve seen. It’s one I’ve appreciated more as a brand marketer. Actually, it wasn’t really an ad campaign per se. Remind ‘em, Anna.

[youtube=://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4Ec4UaRf90&w=854&h=480]

I just love everything about it. Yes, the video. Yes, Anna. But, just as much, the concept and strategy. The broader effort was called “If We Made It.”. The idea? Just as it sounds. A marketing program predicated around the notion of what Newcastle Brown Ale might have done if, of course, it had the budget or rights to do an actual Super Bowl TV commercial.

They didn’t. So, instead, they flipped the script. It started by showing the epic, cinematic masterpiece they might have run…if they made it.

[youtube=://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oha83wAyJ34&w=854&h=480]

The epically fake spot lived on a dedicated Website that similarly was teased with an equally-fake trailers, as well as interviews from would-have-been non-participant celebs like former NFL Pro Bowler Keyshawn Johnson.

[youtube=://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PySuLH7NAQg&w=854&h=480]

They even had a focus group gather and weigh in the spot (resulting in trailers to more videos).

[youtube=://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFGrG0emnuA&w=854&h=480]

This was all done in 2014. Six years ago, but eons in brand marketing years. It’s impressive, because it could still play today. It was a content strategy. A PR campaign. And, yes, a commercial. Kind of. The creativity and strategy, though? Nothing fake about it. No bollocks.

Here’s to hoping we get something as clever in the lead up to this year’s b*#g @ame.