Was “MacGruber” a “Saturday Night Live” sketch or Pepsi commercial?
Depending on when you were watching television over the weekend, it was hard to tell.
On Saturday night’s “SNL,” the recurring bit starring cast member Will Forte aired three times during the show, each time with comical over-the-top promotion for Pepsi.
Then on Sunday night, one of the same “MacGruber” sketches — in which Forte plays a parody of the ’80s action series “MacGyver” — aired during NBC’s broadcast of the Super Bowl as a commercial.
As it turns out, all were paid commercials by Pepsi, made in collaboration with producer Lorne Michaels’ “Saturday Night Live.” The segments weren’t product placement, but commercials paid for by Pepsi and produced by “SNL.” Though they appeared to be sketches on “SNL,” they ran during allotted commercial breaks.
NBC Entertainment Co-Chairman Ben Silverman said Pepsi paid full freight for the spots — which sold for about $3 million per 30-second spot during the Super Bowl.
“They really made it very funny and obvious, so I don’t think there was any confusion,” said Silverman. “Everything is ongoing experimentation, but the reality is we need to evolve and do more and more things.”
Added Silverman: “It’s not just an ad for Pepsi, it’s an ad for ‘Saturday Night Live.'”
Branding expert Peter Arnell was in charge of PepsiCo’s Super Bowl campaign, which also included a 3-D commercial for its SoBe Life Water.
“The creative space is ‘SNL’s’ and they were commercials we would have bought, so the economics were as normal as it ever was,” said Arnell. “It’s the un-advertising advertising.”
The first “MacGruber” sketch/commercial that ran during “SNL” came amid other commercials — after a movie trailer for “The Pink Panther 2,” which is what host Steve Martin was (what else?) promoting.
PepsiCo American Beverages chief Massimo d’Amore, who watched the game from a luxury box with NBC and Michaels, declined to say how much the company paid the network for the spots. An estimated 95.4 million people watched the Pittsburgh-Arizona Super Bowl, making it second only to last year’s game as the most popular ever, according to Nielsen Media Research.
“We have been working together all along in a true partnership,” said d’Amore. “This is definitely not a one-off. It’s a very determined step to connect with the consumers of today in a new contemporary way.”
The ads include all the same usual characteristics that the sketch series normally does: its cheesy opening theme song, a frightened sidekick (played by fellow cast member Kristen Wiig) and MacGruber’s inevitable distraction (in this case, a Pepsi). The real MacGyver — Richard Dean Anderson — also made a cameo.
That a marquee “SNL” sketch would be sold to a marketer might rub some loyal viewers the wrong way. Fans, after all, tune in for comedy, not for well-dressed commercials.
Silverman says the viewer only wins, since the Pepsi sketches replaced regular commercials. (He also noted that “SNL” talent was paid for the work outside of their normal salaries.)
“It wasn’t inside the show,” said Silverman. “Lorne really protected the show. I think the fans of ‘Saturday Night Live’ got to see a ‘MacGruber’ that they wouldn’t have otherwise seen.”
Michaels wasn’t available to comment Monday.
“What we’re doing is selling entertainment vehicles and marketing platforms,” said Silverman, who has looked for other revenue streams for NBC as network TV ratings have slid. “This is where programming is going.”
A “Wicked” Welcome From The National Board of Review
Days after "Wicked" went home from the Golden Globes with a single award for box office achievement, the National Board of Review Awards held space for the smash hit musical, celebrating its cast and director in the New York group's annual gala Tuesday. The untelevised but starry NBR Awards were a chance for many of the nominees who didn't win Sunday to trot out their would-be acceptance speeches, including Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman. Accepting the award for best actress for her performance in the erotic thriller "Babygirl," Kidman celebrated by chugging a glass of milk, a nod to some of the film's kinky sex games. After finishing, Kidman triumphantly announced "Good girl!" and left the stage. It also was an opportunity for some jabs at the Globes. "Isn't this room just a little bit classier than the Beverly Hilton?" quipped presenter Christine Baranski, looking around the elegant marble-columned midtown venue, Cipriani's. Others were less impressed by the old-school New York vibe. "The bathroom attendant, that shouldn't exist anymore," Kieran Culkin said during a typically free-form acceptance speech for best supporting actor for his role in "A Real Pain." The night belonged to Jon M. Chu's "Wicked." The musical was the board's pick for best film, best director for Chu and a special award for the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. The two, in back-and-forth remarks, continued their mutual praise of each other. "Also you're welcome," added Grande. "I truly think you would have murdered anyone else." "Probably true," responded Erivo. Chu, who was introduced by Lin-Manuel Miranda, used the moment to reflect on his yearslong journey with "Wicked," which will be followed by an already-shot part two due out this... Read More