Uber Eats has found a way to turn shots of celebrities snacking on vegan chocolate into what might be one of the most eye-popping Super Bowl commercials in this year’s ad game.
Gwyneth Paltrow, Trevor Noah, Jennifer Coolidge and Nicholas Braun all take part in a new 30-second ad for the delivery service that reminds people of the food it might bring while showing them that Uber can deliver a host of other products to the door. But instead of actual treats, the actors dine on a light bulb, soap, a pencil, and even, in Paltrow’s case, a rather distinctive candle.
Viewers won’t know the props are crafted out of edible material, but that’s beside the point, says Georgie Jeffreys, director of marketing for Uber Eats, in an interview.
“We’ve gone from delivering restaurant food to retail, alcohol, convenience goods – all kinds of commerce,” she says.
Uber Eats is returning to the Super Bowl ad roster after making a debut last year. In its 2021 spot, Mike Myers, Dana Carvey and Cardi B joined forced in an updated version of “Wayne’s World” to emphasize ordering from local restaurants. During the pandemic, however, executives have seen consumers relying on Uber Eats to get deliveries of all kinds of goods, says Jeffreys.
The company wanted to assemble a group of celebrities that would surprise viewers and get them interested quickly. “We looked for talent you don’t often see in commercials,” says Jeffreys. “We wanted this to be unpredictable. We wanted to bring something different to an audience.”
The spot will appear during the second quarter of Super Bowl LVI, slated to be broadcast on NBC on Sunday, February 13.
To drum up interest around the spot, Uber Eats is touting some retail extensions. An in-app store on Uber Eats’ service will help its customers get nearly anything they want for Super Bowl Sunday, whether it be alcohol or cleaning supplies. New York and Los Angeles residents will be able to make purchases of products from Paltrow’s Goop beauty and wellness site. And Uber Eats will launch a hub in its app for Valentine’s Day.
Executives intend to keep an eye on both “eaters and earners” to see how much business the ad drives, says Jeffreys. And the company will also keep an eye on social-media chatter on the night of the Big Game.