Canadian celebs Sarah McLachlan and Matty Matheson are among the stars appearing in Super Bowl TV ads set to air for U.S. viewers this weekend.
Previews of some of the slick publicity stunts are already available online to drum up buzz, allowing Canadians a glimpse at commercials otherwise blocked by federal broadcasting rules.
Among them is a spot from Busch Light that spoofs McLachlan’s animal activism and a DoorDash ad featuring Toronto chef Matheson.
In the beer commercial, an outdoorsman pulls a six-pack from a river and touts the key survival skills to roughing it in the great outdoors: food, drink and shelter.
The camera cuts to a tent opening up to reveal the songstress inside while the chorus to her 2007 song “Angel” begins to swell.
"For just dollars a day, you can help helpless animals find shelter," McLachlan says as the camera cuts to an owl, a fox and other woodland creatures.
"Wrong shelter, Sarah," deadpans the outdoorsman.
Bell Media says the McLachlan ad won't air during its broadcast.
In a statement posted to the Anheuser-Busch website, McLachlan acknowledged the partnership may surprise some fans.
“Busch Light shares my love of animals and the wilderness so, while it seems unexpected, this spot is a really clever and good-hearted mix of my passions and their brand,” said McLachlan.
In the DoorDash commercial, Matheson appears in a supermarket with Wu-Tang Clan's Raekwon as they try to fulfil a grocery order for the online delivery service. The tattooed chef is known to U.S. audiences through his role on the Hulu dramedy "The Bear," which airs on Disney Plus in Canada.
McLachlan also appeared in a Super Bowl ad for Audi in 2014, in which she pleads for support of a fictional, "misunderstood" dog that's half-Doberman and half-Chihuahua.
Canadian channels air Canadian ads under rules set by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. U.S. ads can air north of the border if U.S. companies buy ad time in Canada.
This Sunday, Canadians will be able to see at least two of the celebrity-studded American spots. Those include a "Breaking Bad" spoof starring Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul for Frito-Lay's PopCorners snack, and a Doritos ad starring music stars Jack Harlow, Missy Elliott and Elton John.
Other ads bound for the U.S. broadcast this year include a “Grease”-themed spot from T-Mobile featuring John Travolta and “Scrubs” stars Donald Faison and Zach Braff; and Alicia Silverstone in a “Clueless” throwback for the online shopping site Rakuten.
Super Bowl LVII pits the Philadelphia Eagles against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. The game airs on CTV and TSN.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 10, 2023.
Cassandra Szklarski, The Canadian Press
