DreamWorks Animation will debut a 90-second 3-D ad for their upcoming feature MONSTERS VS. ALIENS during Super Bowl XLIII.
The spot will be broadcasted at the end of the second quarter of the game, which airs on NBC on Sunday, February 1, 2009. Viewers will have the opportunity to re-use their glasses for a 3-D episode of NBC's comedy CHUCK on Monday, February 2 at 9 p.m. (ET/PT).
Intel has produced more than 125 million pairs of 3-D glasses, to be distributed by PepsiCo. through their SoBe Lifewater brand. The glasses will be at 25,000 SoBe Lifewater retail displays in grocery, drug and other retail venues starting in early January and will be free to consumers. If a display runs out, consumers can call 1-800-646-2904 in order to obtain a pair.
NBC viewers will be alerted to the SoBe Lifewater Super Bowl Displays via a series of tune-in spots airing beginning on January 19. Displays and tune-ins will instruct viewers to use their 3D glasses on Super Bowl Sunday, with additional messaging, "Don't Chuck Your Glasses," prompting viewers to re-use them during the special 3D episode of CHUCK, which will feature a guest appearance by NBC Sports analyst and Super Bowl champion Jerome Bettis.
The timeslot will also feature a 60-second 3-D SoBe Lifewater commercial marking the return of the SoBe lizards, featured in last year's Super Bowl broadcast with supermodel Naomi Campbell.
The SoBe spot, directed by Super Bowl commercial veteran and brand architect Peter Arnell, will mark arguably the first ever Super Bowl ad cross over event -- with the SoBe Lizards sharing the screen with characters from the upcoming DreamWorks Animation film that will be showcased in the pod's preceding spot. The SoBe Lizards and stars from DreamWorks' MONSTERS VS. ALIENS will dance alongside current NFL stars. The spot features a modern interpretation of ballet SWAN LAKE, and the rhythmic effects when the players and creatures are infused with the refreshing and re-invigorating impact of SoBe Lifewater.
MONSTERS VS. ALIENS will open in 3-D in the U.S. on March 27 from distributor Paramount Pictures. A 2-D version will also be available.
MONSTERS VS ALIENS is co-directed by Rob Letterman (SHARK TALE) and Conrad Vernon (SHREK 2), who supervised production of the promotion that will air during the Super Bowl.
The directors said they will be watching the telecast from home. "With beer," Vernon told the ASSOCIATED PRESS, laughing. "We're going to test the effects of beer and 3-D," said Letterman.
DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg called the stunt "perhaps the biggest media-advertising event in history." He wouldn't give a hard figure on the cost, but said it "involves tens of millions of dollars."
Katzenberg promised the quality of the 3-D will be superior to what has been done in the past. He said the glasses will use Intel InTru 3D and ColorCode 3-D, which updates the old red-blue Anaglyph system.
The technology will also allow those without the glasses to see an almost ordinary image on the TV screen. But, Katzenberg added, it still doesn't come close to the 3-D quality moviegoers will see in theaters when the film opens stateside March 27, per the AP.
