With disgruntled, seldom satisfied Star Wars fans upset over the Super Bowl ad for the Mandalorian and Grogu, Disney execs came out and explained what they were going for.
“Grogu is more than a character; he’s a pop culture phenomenon. Riding alongside the heroic Mandalorian, he brings lightness, humor, joy, and an instant emotional connection that transcends the moment,” said Disney’s executive VP of creative marketing Jackson George. “This Big Game spot celebrates how deeply we love and connect with these characters, reminds us of the fun, heart, and spectacle that defines ‘Star Wars,’ and offers a bite-sized promise of the experience audiences will get when they see these two beloved icons on the big screen.”
Popular on Variety
The video player is currently playing an ad.
And that was not all:
Lucasfilm’s marketing brand lead Ryan Stankevich said they wanted a Super Bowl spot that felt “instantly iconic, cinematic, and quintessentially ‘Star Wars.’”
“Our creative and marketing team landed on a unique concept that gave a nod to classic Big Game spots of years past,” Stankevich said. “It captured the warmth, humor, and emotional connection between these two beloved characters and was the perfect next step for our campaign as we lead up to their big screen debut this summer.”
Do you hear that Star Warriors? Warmth, humor, and emotional connection. Do you remember those from so long ago?
The ad, which featured Mando and Baby Yoda, as we once called him, riding in a cart, was a take off on the classic Budweiser ads featuring their beloved Clydesdale horses. These ads are consistently among the most popular that air during the Super Bowl, because many people like beer but even more like animals. Big, beautiful horses in harmony with humans who like watery beer! That’s another way to say warmth, humor and emotional connection.
I know the world has much bigger problems right now, but Star Wars people, please lighten up. Fans are demanding to know what the movie is about, I can tell you: it is about the Mandalorian and Grogu having adventures! If that isn’t enough for you, press materials say that the film will feature cameos from “beloved characters Babu Frik and Zeb Orrelios.” Is that not enough for you? Put on your Babu Frik pajamas and get nice and comfy in your Zeb Orrelios blanket. It’s going to be alright.
