Pokémon Debuts Its First-Ever Super Bowl TV Commercial
Ad Encourages Fans to Train On.
The Pokémon Company International unveiled a new TV commercial that will air during Super Bowl 50 on Sunday, February 7. The ad, shot in Rio de Janeiro, explores ambition, drive, and training, concepts that every Pokémon Trainer is familiar with. It celebrates the millions of Pokémon fans around the world who will enjoy identifying all of the hidden Pokémon references in the ad. It ends with a call to action for all those who strive to achieve their dreams: Train On. A 30-second version of the ad will be aired at the beginning of the third quarter of Super Bowl 50. An extended version can be viewed above.
“This ad is reflective of that passion, and I can’t think of a bigger stage to share this story than the Super Bowl.”
“For 20 years, the Pokémon world has inspired fans to train hard and have fun,” said J.C. Smith, senior director of Consumer Marketing at The Pokémon Company International. “This ad is reflective of that passion, and I can’t think of a bigger stage to share this story than the Super Bowl.”
Made by Omelet, a Los Angeles-based creative agency, the Pokémon 20th TV commercial will also be featured in the upcoming CBS special, Super Bowl’s Greatest Commercials. This annual show, which will air on February 2 at 8:00 P.M. ET, revisits fan-favorite commercials from past Super Bowls and also gives a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Pokémon Super Bowl advertisement.
The ad is part of a yearlong campaign celebrating 20 years of Pokémon. First introduced in Japan in 1996 with the video games Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green for the Nintendo Game Boy system, Pokémon has delighted fans of all ages around the world for two decades. With more than 275 million video games sold worldwide, 21.5 billion TCG cards shipped to 74 countries, and an animated series spanning 18 seasons, Pokémon is one of the most successful entertainment brands in the world. More details can be found at Pokemon.com/20. Fans visiting the site throughout the year will find information about monthly Mythical Pokémon distributions, retail events, special products, messages from some of Pokémon’s biggest fans, and the upcoming Pokémon Photo Booth app.
Pokémon. Twenty years. Train On.