Ice cream is not a food most people associate with the Super Bowl. Most folks order pizza or hot wings while also enjoying chips and dip. However, Häagen-Dazs figured out an exciting way to advertise its frozen treats during the big game.
The company took a two-pronged advertising strategy. It hired Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, and Ludacris to portray characters very much in the vein of their roles from the Fast and Furious franchise. Häagen-Dazs also partnered with West Coast Customs to turn a 1963 Cadillac convertible into a seriously cool ice cream carrier.
A Cadillac As Cool As Ice Cream
West Coast Customs is a premier name in vehicle personalization. The company famously worked on the Pimp My Ride TV series on MTV and has produced bespoke vehicles for many celebrities.
The custom Cadillac came together in just three weeks. The company repainted the car in the burgundy color from the Häagen-Dazs logo. The grille, wheels, and trim pieces are cream white to fit the car’s theme.
The same color scheme continues on the inside. The seats are cream white with burgundy piping and Häagen-Dazs. Rather than cupholders, the center console opens to reveal a pair of ice cream cone holders.
An even bigger surprise hides in the trunk. Opening the lid reveals a cooler full of Häagen-Dazs products. Speakers with illuminated surrounds are on each side.
Fast, Furious, And Ice Cream
The Cadillac doesn’t appear in the brand’s Super Bowl commercial. Instead, it stars Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez while they speed away in a classic Camaro SS 396 convertible. Rodriguez pulls out a Häagen-Dazs frozen chocolate bar and immediately relaxes. Diesel soon does the same.
Ludacris then pulls up in a doorless Jeep Gladiator and asks about the “fast life.” Diesel and Rodriguez want to relax, though. The next shot reveals the Camaro’s license plate is “SLOW-LIFE.”
Fast X director Louis Leterrier consulted on the project to ensure the aesthetic matched the Fast and Furious
franchise’s look. The commercial will air during the game’s third quarter.
TopSpeed’s Take
This is a fun ad. It takes the trappings of the
franchise and turns the clichés on their heads by focusing on going slow and relaxing rather than having high-speed chases. Building a custom Cadillac ice cream carrier is also a neat touch, but there should be a closer connection to the commercial. For example, West Coast Customs could have made the vehicle out of a Camaro SS like the one in the ad.
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