Schwarzenegger and Hayek electrify BMW's Super Bowl charge
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Salma Hayek Pinault are channeling Greek myth in their much anticipated BMW Super Bowl commercial promoting the all-electric iX Sports activity vehicle.
The flagship car is one of two fully electric alternatives to roll off the German automakers American assembly lines next month making them a natural fit for a big-budget Super Bowl spot.
Devised by Goodby Silverstein & Partners the bombastic advert puts its Hollywood royalty to work as Greek gods Zeus and Hera struggling to recharge their batteries in Palm Springs, California, for their retirement. Only when Zeus receives a BMW iX from Hera does he crackle back to life once more, zapping out lightning bolts from his fingers to aid mere mortals by zapping hedge trimmers and recharging golf buggies.
The piece concludes with the power pair hitting the road to the backing music of Eddy Grant's 'Electric Avenue' with Zeus merrily utilizing his powers to switch every traffic light in their path to green.
Schwarzenegger, who plays the god of lightning, said: "The humor lies in this legendary god of lightning, who is supposed to be indestructible, battling with everyday electronics. It is only when his brilliant wife presents him with the gift of an all-electric BMW iX that Zeus is struck with the mighty power of electricity and is completely rejuvenated.”
Hayek Pinault aka Zeus's wife Hera, who serves as the hero of the tale by bringing her errant husband down to Earth, said: “Seventy-five percent of the decisions made in a marriage about where to spend the money are made by women, and in this commercial, it is the woman who decides on the right car to get her husband back on track. Of course, the commercial is entertaining, but there is also a real human truth to it.”
Rich Silverstein, co-founder and co-chairman of Goodby Silverstein & Partners, added: “Transcending sports, this iconic annual event isn’t just a championship game. It’s a cultural phenomenon where viewers pay even more attention when the action on the field stops. There’s only one person on the planet who could say he’s Zeus, and that’s Arnold. And there’s only one brand worthy of being called the Ultimate Electric Driving Machine, and that’s BMW. We needed to showcase this in a big way, and that is what we’re doing on February 13.”
BMW's last Super Bowl campaign landed in 2015 when Katie Couric and Bryant Gumbel received an early preview of the manufacturers first fully electric production vehicle, the i3.
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