Red Bull is one of the few brands that doesn’t overthink the Super Bowl.
A 30-second spot that ran during the fourth quarter was so instantly recognizable and tonally consistent that it required no planned press coverage or amplification.
The ad follows a flirtatious dog named Charlie who, upon being summoned by his owner, gulps down a can of Red Bull and wraps his owner around a tree so he can continue courting his companion.
In the brand’s signature hand-drawn animation style, and closing on the “Red Bull gives you wiiings” slogan it adopted nearly 30 years ago, it’s a timeless ad that makes no concessions for the fact it cost up to $10 million to air during the Super Bowl.
Last year’s “Flying Penguins” spot, a minor remake of a penguin-themed ad the brand has run for several years, told a similar story, in which a chick who is eager to fly when Red Bull gives him wings is disappointed to find out the drink is frozen in the can.
This year’s canine characters feature in a video posted on the brand’s Instagram Stories as the Super Bowl kicked off, in which Charlie catches a football during a sports game and hands it to his date.
