Scarlett Johansson holds record for starring in most expensive Super Bowl commercial of all time
Scarlett Johansson was once the subject of the costliest Super Bowl advert ever alongside her husband, Colin Jost.
Saturday Night Live fans will be aware of Jost, the host of the Weekend Update segment on the show, and the butt of many jokes made about his marriage to Hollywood superstar Johansson.
For those who aren't NFL fans, though, you may not be aware of the single most expensive Super Bowl commercial ever, featuring the pair and advertising a certain Amazon product.
In all fairness, you don't need to be a fan of American Football to tune in to the broadcast's adverts, many of which have become iconic over the years.
Advert
Johansson's ad was called 'Mind Reader', and it was the most expensive advert to run in the event's history, probably because it featured the single highest-grossing box office actor ever.
Getting a Super Bowl commercial slot is a privilege, with brands unable to use the name 'Super Bowl' in their ads without paying up.
To take advantage of this, corporations pay millions to make the most of their time on the air, and that's exactly what Amazon Alexa's 'Mind Reader' advert did.
Just 90 seconds long, the advert aired before 2022's face-off between the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams.
Its overall cost of $26 million (£19.1 million) is yet to be beaten, but as ad costs continue to skyrocket, we could see someone else steal its title.
In the advert itself, Johansson and Jost imagine what life would be like if Alexa could actually read their minds, starting with some playful jokes before realising that it's probably best if the technology doesn't reveal thoughts they should keep to themselves.
Johansson has also been in a Super Bowl advert before, starring in an ad for SodaStream back in 2014.
Other expensive Super Bowl adverts include General Motors' 'No More Norway' and Cadillac's 'ScissorHandsFree', both of which cost $22 million (£16.1 million) to run.
The most controversial Super Bowl commercials ever
Nowadays, Super Bowl ads almost rival the game itself, with brands willing to fork out millions to secure a coveted spot during one of the most-watched events on TV.
However, over the years, some have sparked controversy, provoking heated debates and public backlash.
Let's take a look back at some of the most controversial Super Bowl commercials…
Carl’s Jr.: All Natural Burger (2015)
Featuring model Charlotte McKinney walking through a market wearing little clothing and gaining a lot of attention from men, the fast food chain’s ad was criticised for objectifying women.
If that wasn’t enough, last year, influencer Alix Earle donned a bikini top to promote the company’s ‘Hangover Burger’ in a commercial that TV watchdogs likened to ‘soft core porn’.
PETA: Last Longer (2016)
Ahead of Super Bowl 50, PETA submitted a racy commercial that compared the sexual stamina of a meat-eating couple and a vegan couple. It ultimately didn’t make the cut as it was deemed too explicit for TV.
GoDaddy: Journey Home (2015)
The controversial ad followed a puppy’s journey home after falling off a pick-up truck, only to find that his owners had sold him using a GoDaddy site.
After receiving backlash from animal rights organisations, GoDaddy’s then-CEO, Blake Irving, announced: “What should have been a fun and funny ad clearly missed the mark and we will not air it.”
Groupon: Save the Money - Tibet (2011)
Groupon’s commercial received criticism after appearing to make light of Tibet’s political situation.
“The Tibetan people are in trouble,” actor Timothy Hutton said in a voiceover. “Their very culture is in jeopardy.”
Cutting to a shot of Hutton in a restaurant, he added: “But they still whip up an amazing fish curry. And since 200 of us bought on Groupon.com, we're getting $30 worth of Tibetan food for just $15.”
A blog post from the company explained: “Since we grew out of a collective action and philanthropy site (ThePoint.com) and ended up selling coupons, we loved the idea of poking fun at ourselves by talking about discounts as a noble cause. So we bought the spots, hired mockumentary expert Christopher Guest to direct them, enlisted some celebrity faux-philanthropists, and plopped down three Groupon ads before, during, and after the biggest American football game in the world."
Yeezy (2025)
Days after making a series of highly offensive antisemitic tweets, Kanye West appeared in a bizarre ad for his Yeezy brand. While it did not air nationally, those who did see it were left outraged.
“So what’s up, guys, I spent, like all the money for the commercial on these new teeth. So once again, I had to shoot it on the iPhone,” he said while lying in a dentist's chair, before telling viewers to ‘go to Yeezy.com’.
Shockingly, the website was selling t-shirts with a swastika on them.
Nationwide: Boy (2015)
Nationwide’s tragic ad featured a young boy talking about the life experiences he’d never get to have because he died in an accident.
After being met with outrage from unsuspecting viewers, the company said the message ‘was to start a conversation, not sell insurance’.
“We want to build awareness of an issue that is near and dear to all of us-the safety and well-being of our children,” it added.
General Motors: Robot (2007)
The 60-second commercial showed an assembly line robot jumping off a bridge after being dismissed by General Motors.
Although it turned out to be a dream, viewers slammed the visual depiction of suicide, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention called it ‘inappropriate’.
Groupon: Save the Money - Rainforest (2011)
Part of the same campaign as Groupon’s Tibet ad, the Elizabeth Hurley-fronted commercial was accused of trivialising Brazil’s deforestation after seemingly comparing it to a Brazilian bikini wax.
Groupon founder Andrew Mason said the ad was not meant to cause offence, and was aimed at highlighting important causes.
Topics: Scarlett Johansson, Super Bowl, TV and Film
Joshua Nair