Forget the cowbell; what Christopher Walken really needs is more BMW.
The highest form of flattery steps onto advertising’s biggest stage this Sunday as the legendary actor appears in the brand’s Super Bowl 58 commercial alongside a comical cast of Walken Impersonators, which includes “Emily in Paris” star Ashley Park and halftime performer Usher.
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And the talent behind the camera is just as impressive. Dubbed the “King of the Super Bowl,” Bryan Buckley adds a directing expertise that now includes over 70 Super Bowl spots.
It’s a headline-popping return for BMW, which last emerged in the Big Game lineup two years ago with “Zeus and Hera” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Selma Hayek.
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So, how did such a 2024 blockbuster concept go from pitch to 60 seconds of finished product?
And who does the best Walken impression?
Marcus Casey, Chief Marketing Officer, BMW of North America, took time with USA TODAY Ad Meter ahead of the big reveal to lend insight into the commercial and lay out the framework—the concept, the casting, keeping it under wraps, and the on-set experience.
Christopher Walken took care of the second question.
But first, here’s a look at the BMW Super Bowl commercial:
The 60-second joyride of spot-on impressions (that some of you might already be doing while reading this) marks Walken’s second appearance on the Super Bowl advert scene, the first coming in 2016.
For BMW, it’s a continued journey that differs from typical timeframes you hear about when learning of the overall campaign.
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“Following the success of our 2022 ad, we knew that we wanted to be back in the Big Game sooner, rather than later,” began Casey. “Traditionally, we’ve reserved the Super Bowl opportunity for big moments, when we’ve had a product launch or message that merits such a big stage. And, of course, you must have the right concept. It all came together when we started thinking about the launch of the all-new BMW 5 Series and first ever 100% electric BMW i5, which are important drivers for our brand.”
The timeline for both goes back further in history, though…
It’s a serendipitous moment that matched up in perfect Big Game harmony 52 years later. One made possible by the collaborative efforts of the creative agency Goodby Silverstein and Partners, who were tasked with scripting a concept that mixed “the right blend of star power and humor.”
To that, Casey reflected, “The BMW 5 Series is one of our most iconic models—a core model that was first launched in 1972 and has been an important part of our brand since then. Is it a coincidence that 1972 was also the year that Walken was featured in his first starring role?”
(A quick search confirmed the interesting connection: “The Mind Snatchers, also known as “The Happiness Cage,” hit the big screen in 1972.)
He continued, “In our minds, we needed an icon to help launch the new generation of an iconic car. GS&P literally presented the concept and we signed Walken—who liked ‘liked the idea from the onset’—the weekend before he appeared on ‘SNL.’”
With the stars aligning, the next step was to add a “surprise and delight” moment, which began with rising star Ashley Park, who is revealed in the dog walking scene.
It’s an element in the creative that Casey highlights is way to make a spot memorable “and resonate with viewers.”
But BMW didn’t stop there.
Enter, Usher.
As the commercial winds down, the R&B legend’s cameo and impression nails an unexpected twist that makes these mini-movies rival the anticipated unknowns made iconic by the halftime show, which Usher is also headlining in 2024.
Is that where he runs off to? We’ll have to wait and see.
Hey! Is that Christopher Walken and … Usher?!
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It’s 2024. Anyone with a cell phone at the right place/time can be a disruptive sleuth in the fast-paced world of social media. And when considering the BMW set featured such recognizable talents and a shooting schedule in outdoor spaces in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, the possibility of spoilers seems inevitable.
On the difficulties of keeping a commercial under wraps, though, Casey cut straight to the point: “With the high level of interest around Super Bowl advertising, you always have to be careful. There was some buzz a few weeks ago, about Christopher Walken and Usher, that they were spotted shooting a BMW commercial, but thankfully nothing more got out, and nobody connected it to the Super Bowl.”
That’s not say GS&P and BMW didn’t have a plan for stretching the commercial beyond the game and creating buzz. Like many of the brands showcasing a spot this year, the collaborative effort included teasers, giving fans a look under the hood, and a peek at what’s ahead.
It was another element that Walken handled with the charismatic persona audiences have grown to love/mimic. And ultimately, he achieved it by just being Christopher Walken.
That’s the unique entertaining prowess BMW experienced firsthand while working on the shoot. “They all brought, not just star power, but charisma, energy, and humor to the project,” said Casey. “You really couldn’t ask for more.”
Well …
The question of all questions:
It’s a rare feat for an actor to have the type of allure where simply saying their name invokes a massive urge to let the impressions flow— whether from fans, fellow celebrities, including Usher and Ashley Park, and so many more.
But who did the best Christopher Walken impression during the BMW shoot?
For that, we went directly to the source.
“All of the actors’ impressions were entertaining. Early in the edit process, I even mistook Chris Pine’s voiceover for my own,” said Walken.
Now that might be the highest form of flattery.
Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: WHO
