GM Super Bowl spot with Will Ferrel – the reactions (videos)

General Motors hired actor and comedian Will Ferrell for its Super Bowl commercial, in which the company promotes its Ultium platform. Norway as the market leader for electric cars? They don’t want to put up with that in the USA!

++ Kindly find updates below. ++

Or well, maybe they do. In the commercial, “No Way, Norway,” Kenan Thompson and Awkwafina join Ferrell on his action-packed journey to give Norwegians a piece of his mind. Let’s say it is inspirational.

Ferrell is himself a man at the front of the early adopters it appears. “I’ve been driving an EV since the mid-80s…well, actually it was a regular car with four AA batteries taped to the carburettor, but it felt like an EV!” He added, “We’re coming for you, Norway!”

The spot features GM’s upcoming Ultium-powered electric vehicles, including the indeed showy Cadillac LYRIQ luxury SUV and the Hummer.

The wonderfully self-deprecating 90-second spot was already uploaded to youtube while a 60-second version of the ad aired during the first quarter of the Superbowl.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCy-a_E2I3s

Update 08 February 2021: Meanwhile, the ad has spurred some virtual reactions, especially from little Norway which Will Ferrel, well, tackled. Or tickled you could say. Since then, Twitter lit up with the tourism board first ordering the promised anchovy pizzas.

#NoWayNorway By the time GM gets there, the Pizza will be cold. Reserve yours today! pic.twitter.com/uueSP3K1Xo

— Greenway Ford (@greenwayford) February 6, 2021

Just a little later, Audi’s Norwegian arm whose e-tron is the best-selling electric car in Norway and about to see the launch of the new e-tron GT tomorrow add a little style. They turned to ‘Game of Thrones’ star Kristofer Hivju now featuring in no less than three Audi Norway spots. Our highlight is him throwing a whole salmon on the pizza. “Don’t hate, imitate,” says Audi and we guess that goes both ways.

Then the voice of the people joined the ranks. Christina Bu of Norsk Elbilforening launched her own selfie video asking not for a pizza but a cowbell. Yes, this leaves us with a question mark too but do check the full story of #NoWayNorway TBC.

Update 11 February 2021: Now Norway has answered back with a much lower-budget with even more hilarious results in a video from the University of Agder. Of course, being fans of Will Ferrel, they don’t want to make him jealous and try (not-try) and cover-up Norway’s achievements:

With additional reporting by Carrie Hampel

twitter.com, gm.com, meedia.de (update link selection, in German)