Whether you tuned in for the football, Rihanna’s halftime show, or the all-star commercials, Sunday’s big game had something for everyone. For all of us here at The Lift, that something was the opportunity to catch our beloved Mexico on advertising’s biggest stage, thanks to the four spots we helped bring to life for Pringles, TEMU, Tubi, and TurboTax.
Producer Helena Medina said it best: “The stakes are high” on a Super Bowl spot, and we’re honored to be trusted to bring these stories to life. Read on for some inside stories from our big spots.
Pringles – “Best of Us”
Named the Most Relatable ad of the year by Time, Pringles’ “Best of Us” comically featured the best and brightest stuck with Pringles cans for arms. Director Tom Kuntz expertly played off of last year’s “Stuck In,” capturing everyone from a surgeon to Meghan Trainor to an unborn baby in an ultrasound in a unique predicament – a stellar cast made possible by our family at Yanga. Casting Director Blanca Peña reflected on the project, sharing that the concept and tone made it a fun one to cast – even when finding an actor with the right personality and bowling prowess to take on the bowler scene.
Producer Pepe Aguirre recalled the crazy challenges of this shoot, including building a boat on a rooftop of a corporate building in downtown Mexico. But with Kuntz and DoP Hoyte van Hoytema at the helm, who Pepe calls “advertising gold,” the project was a true success – see it now below.
TEMU – “Shop Like a Billionaire”
Online marketplace TEMU made its big game debut this year with “Shop Like a Billionaire.” Shot in Mexico City with director Robert Jitzmark, this spot required a massive amount of coordination of a large cast on a tight timeline. Producer Helena Medina shared: “The scheduling over the holidays, and the challenging shoot of just three days, was not an easy challenge, but we knew we could deliver.”
The cast (put together by the team at Yanga) and crew for this shoot were top-notch, and all wardrobe and props were from the TEMU app, a nice detail that emphasizes the value they bring their customers. Read more about it in AdWeek, and watch below.
Tubi – “Rabbit Holes”
For Tubi’s “Rabbit Holes,” we once again teamed up with Director Tom Kuntz to create fascinating rabbit holes you didn’t even know you were looking for. As producer Pepe Aguirre said, working with legendary cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto “is a luxury both for his talent and for the person he is,” and the presence of the three-time Academy Award nominee can be felt in the campaign’s stunning visual feel.
Mexico was a creative paradise for this shoot, providing versatile locations to bring each scene to life. The casting process, helmed by our family over at Yanga, was an interesting one, as the comedic timing for the spot needed to be precise. Casting Director Daniela Parkes shared that “our greatest challenge was to help the actors to not overreact and try to get them to understand the absurd situations without having them make a mockery of the concept of being thrown down the rabbit hole.”
The Super Bowl debut for the TVOD brand was written up in AdWeek and named the Big Game’s Best Ad by Muse by Clio.
TurboTax – “Dancer”
TurboTax says you shouldn’t do your taxes…because they can do it for you. This delightful dance spot was produced by The Lift’s Helena Medina here in Mexico City, and celebrates all the fun you can have when you pass the responsibility of your taxes off to an expert. Casting Director Andrea Zapiain shared that “Turbotax was all about finding the right amount of quirky. The casting process focused on finding endearing, off-beat characters that best showed all the experiences you could have while doing not taxes.”