Bridgestone Tells 'Whale of a Tale'

January 27, 2010


Adweek Staff Report


Tire brand Bridgestone returns to the Super Bowl with a pair of spots from independent shop The Richards Group in Dallas.

One spot, "A Whale of a Tale," shows three friends speeding down a highway -- with a killer whale hanging out of the back of their vehicle. The guys pour bottled water over the creature's head, implying an unusual rescue story.

The second commercial is called "Your Tires or Your Life?" and it takes place on a stormy night at what appears to be an accident scene -- with a creepy-looking balding, bearded, bespectacled guy brandishing power drills.

Bridgestone is also the sponsor of this year's halftime show, which features legendary rock band The Who.

The client aired a pair of Richards-crafted spots in the game last year. "Taters" starred Hasbro's famous spuds duo, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, enjoying a sunny, picturesque drive until a heard of sheep show up on a tight curve. In "Hot Item," two travelers used a space vehicle equipped with Bridgestone tires to visit one of Saturn's moons

Bridgestone spends about $60 million annually on ads, per Nielsen. The average price of a 30-second spot in this year's Super Bowl broadcast on CBS is approximately $2.8 million.