Last week, when a 30 second trailer for Honda's Ferris Bueller-inspired Super Bowl ad was aired, Matthew Broderick fans thought they were going to have to wait until the big game until they got a further glimpse of the star reprising his iconic role. But yesterday (January 30, 2012), the LA Times blog posted the full commercial, which depicts Broderick playing himself, but recapturing some of the most memorable scenes from his 1986 cult movie. The main difference, of course is that his vehicle of choice in 2012 is a Honda CR-V.
Honda employed Todd Phillips - the director of The Hangover - to oversee the making of the commercial, which sees Broderick calling in sick to get himself out of his acting work for the day. In a cheeky aside to the camera, he says "one of the worst performances of my career and he never doubted it for a second." The actor then goes on to drive around town in his Honda, going to the fair, the National History Museum and taking in some horse racing on the way. He's the only star of the original John Hughes film included in the advert but already, the video has become an internet sensation; the official ad posted by Honda has received over 3 million views on YouTube.
Adverts shown during the Super Bowl are notoriously influential. Last year's award-winning Passat ad has received over 50 million views online, according to the LA Times blog and advertisers pay NBC an average of around $3.5 million for a 30-second slot. Kia motors are reportedly showing their Super Bowl ad in movie theatres, as well, to increase its impact.