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A lot of smartphone addicts see a dying battery as the end of the world, a feeling taken to its disastrous extreme in the Super Bowl ad for mobile charging case brand Mophie.
In the "All Powerless" commercial from agency Deutsch L.A. (creators of Volkswagen's beloved 2011 Super Bowl ad, The Force), gravity ceases to function, penguins fly, fish fall from the skies, hurricanes blast across Nebraska, tsunamis pound Paris and—in keeping with the Big Game's penchant for animal high jinks—dogs walk their owners on leashes.
We don't want to spoil how it all ties together, so go ahead and watch the spot before reading on:
In focus groups, Deutsch found how desperate people feel when their phones die, an anxiety akin to having lost control of their world. That's something even God can relate to, according to the spot's conclusion.
"When your phone loses power, you lose power," said Pete Favat, chief creative officer, Deutsch L.A. "We've all had that feeling of vulnerability where all bets are off and the predictability of your day becomes chaos. For us, that might mean missing important meetings, getting lost while traveling or being unable to make that one important phone call. For the most powerful being in the universe, losing power truly means losing power."
Mophie hired Deutsch to handle the Super Bowl ad, which also happens to be its first broadcast debut. Ross Howe, vp of marketing at the Santa Ana-based company, said the Super Bowl was a no-brainer for the novice advertiser.
"Beer, candy, cars—they're all on the Super Bowl. We're trying to establish a new market with this ad. There's 10 percent category awareness, 9 percent brand awareness for us. There's no better opportunity than the Super Bowl to get attention for your brand," he explained.
In addition to the spot, Mophie is launching a promotional sweepstakes if the game goes into overtime, at which point Mophie will award $1 million in company products.
For more news about the brands and stars preparing buzzworthy spots, be sure to check our up-to-the-minute Super Bowl Ad Tracker.
