General Motors and Netflix want to use the Super Bowl to drive consumers to a new destination.
The automotive giant and the streaming titan have teamed up for a funny Super Bowl commercial with comic actor Will Ferrell that aims to boost a new marketing agreement the two have struck that puts new GM electric vehicles — and potentially those of other manufacturers — in popular Netflix series like “Love Is Blind,” “Queer Eye” and “Unstable.” Two teaser for the ad were released Thursday.
“The more we see electric vehicles show up in this type of binge-worthy content, the faster everyone gets used to them,” says Deborah Wahl, General Motors’ chief marketing officer, in a presentation Wednesday. GM has made a noticeable corporate commitment to the new vehicles, citing the demands a worsening global climate will place on the automobile industry. The company has pledged to develop 30 new electric models by 2025, and has for the past two years trotted out high-concept Super Bowl ads to introduce them to the public.
GM, says Wahl, will continue to use TV commercials to boost recognition of new EVs like the Chevrolet Bolt EUV, the GMC Hummer EV Pickup and the Cadilla Lyriq. But she says her company needs exposure in top streaming programs in order to hammer the point to consumers who might purchase the cars. “We are charged with keeping up with where consumers are and what they are watching and what impacts them,” Wahl says.
Netflix already committed in 2022 to put at least one electric vehicle in every series or movie that it directly produced, says Marian Lee, the streamer’s chief marketing officer. The pact was brokered by UTA.
General Motors is one of the nation’s biggest and most influential advertisers, and its overall ad spend has increased in recent years. The company spent approximately $1.36 billion on advertising in 2022, according to Vivvix, a tracker of ad spending, up from nearly $1.27 billion in the prior year.
But the companies maintained that GM was not paying Netflix for placement of its vehicles in the streamer’s programs. Nor would they say if the two parties would share in the cost of a 60-second Super Bowl commercial in which Ferrell drives electric vehicles through the worlds of several of Netflix’s most popular shows, including “Squid Game” and “Stranger Things.” Fox, the network broadcasting the Big Game, has been seeking between $6 million and $7 million for 30 seconds of commercial time.
GM has not made a commitment to spend on commercials on Netflix’ new ad-supported tier as part of the alliance, says Wahl, noting that any decision about support for that venture would be “separate” from the “long term” agreement the two companies have struck.
“GM is not paying Netflix to put their vehicles on Netflix shows,” says Lee. “This is the start of a a really organic partnership where both of our companies are committed to a sustainable future, and so it’s not product placement.”
Car makers have long sought out appearances in popular TV programs. Ford’s F-150 got prominent real estate in Fox’s “24,” while various models of Audi and Toyota were driven by the characters of ABC’s “Modern Family.” But these ad stalwart, like other big marketers, have grown more concerned about reaching customers through traditional TV programs as more people embrace on-demand video streaming. Some marketers have sought out partnerships with Netflix, HBO Max and other streaming hubs that give them an association with programs in deals that don’t always involve running commercials
So-called “integration” deals have proven quite popular in the world of traditional TV. TV networks often require a heavier than normal advertising investment in exchange for weaving products into storylines or featuring them prominently in certain scenes.
But the pacts are often hard to put into place. They require writers and producers to come up with plot ideas and dialogue weeks ahead of time, and don’t always result in an appearance that covers all the advertiser’s desires. Netflix producers, for example, could point to some of the challenges of owning an electric vehicle, like being unable to find a convenient charging station, or forgetting to plug in a car overnight.
“We are not going to dictate how EVs show up in storylines,” says Lee, though Netflix has committed to giving producers and writers “education” about the new transportation mode.
Both GM and Netflix hope the arrangement lasts. “There is no end date,” says Lee, as both companies see the importance of trying to develop sustainable practices. “We will continue to work with GM for as long as they want to work with Netflix.”
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