Super Bowl LX is on the way, and while the game itself is still far off, there are plenty of big game ads already online. From Kendall Jenner betting against her ex-boyfriends to Clydesdales raising eagles, this year has a lot of strong contenders. We even have an ad with William Shatner, which is actually one giant poop joke.
When Raisin Bran first teased Shatner as its celebrity spokesperson for its big game ad, I assumed there would be a Star Trek bent. "Will Shat" was in a Captain's chair and spaceship of some kind, but I doubt this mission to increase fiber intake and get people to poop more was Federation-approved. Take a look:
I can't believe I've been a Star Trek fan for so long and have never once thought about how saying "William Shat" could be used to circumvent potential FCC violations due to swearing in advertising. In fairness, I didn't go to marketing school, but if I did, that realization might've hit me a lot sooner.
I do have to say that referring to Shatner as the "Bran ambassador" was pretty perfect. I also liked the creative ways the ad continued to push the boundaries of how they could use "Will Shat" in an innocent enough way where it could mean two things. "Will Shat on a car" definitely got a chuckle out of me, and I'm sure many watching the ad for the first time on game day will get a laugh out of it as well.
I'm a little surprised the 94-year-old actor would make himself the butt of a Raisin Bran joke, but given the money that advertisers pay to make Super Bowl ads, I'm sure he was handsomely compensated for doing so. Plus, it's not the first time that William Shatner has had to face a bit of mockery, all in the name of fun. For all the Shatner impressions I've seen actors perform over the years, this is one performance they may not be so ready to emulate.
Shatner's big game commercial comes at a time when some are calling for him to take over the Star Trek franchise, though the actor doesn't seem to be taking those endorsements seriously. For now, he seems content to continue to pop up at conventions and make appearances when he can, and make some side cash in a commercial.
Super Bowl LX kicks off on NBC and Peacock on Sunday, February 8th. I'm getting more excited with each passing day about the game, and all the other commercials we may see before the night is over.
