Kenny G from Audi's new campaign for Super Bowl XLV
Not so long ago, Kenny G was a major threat to the civilized world. Sleepy, innocuous notes rolled out of his saxophone and onto the world's airwaves, lulling us all into a false sense of comfort and security. Things could've gone terribly wrong, but Kenny's unearthly talent was, in fact, his own undoing: his music was so relaxing that when Kenny finally got around to issuing orders for world domination, we were all too sleepy to obey. It took Ace of Base to wake us up again.
A decade or so later, Kenny G has returned -- this time, thankfully, as a punch line. Audi has tapped Mr. G to play a major part in its next campaign, which rolls out in full this weekend during the Super Bowl XLV broadcast. As you can see from the (fairly long) teaser posted to YouTube, Kenny plays the "Riot Suppressor" at a luxury prison. And as you can also see, he's actually got a good sense of comic timing. Someone find that man more work:
We don't know exactly what the angle of Audi's campaign is going to be, but from the press release below, it's pretty clear that Kenny and the prison stand in for sleepy, predictable luxury rides. We'll also wager that Audi stages a prison break, bursting through the walls like Kool Aid and belting "School's Out" while leading old rich men toward a future filled with bright, shiny Audi automobiles like the 2011 Audi A8.
Predictable? Perhaps. But hey, anything's better than JT's film series for the A1. ANYTHING.
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Audi Taps Musician Kenny G for Super Bowl Spot
• Multiplatinum selling saxophonist Kenny G to make satirical appearance in Audi’s 60-second spot during Super Bowl XLV
• Comical online teaser video featuring Kenny G launches today at YouTube.com/AudiofAmerica
Launching today, an online teaser video featuring Kenny G as the Riot Suppressor can be viewed at YouTube.com/AudiofAmerica.
Audi’s upcoming Super Bowl spot called “Release the Hounds” follows two pretentious inmates as they attempt to break out of a luxury prison. Challenging viewers to re-think luxury, the ad will feature a number of elements that recall the heyday of old lux. The multiplatinum sax man Kenny G was chosen for his unmistakable music, whose songs and stylings brings the audience back to a certain era.
Audi’s 2011 Super Bowl spot also will feature the award-winning 2011 A8 sedan, Audi’s most technologically-advanced vehicle and the apex of Audi’s new luxury lineup.
The past three years Audi has delivered highly-rated spots, including last year’s “Green Car” ad featuring the Audi A3 TDI, Green Car Journal’s 2010 “Green Car of the Year,” and a soundtrack created by rock legends Cheap Trick. The 2009 spot featured actor Jason Statham in a series of high-speed chase scenes involving luxury competitors, sending the dual message that luxury is evolving. The 2008 Audi spot delivered a parody of the movie “The Godfather” and signaled that the brand was ready to challenge the perceived luxury leaders by “putting luxury on notice.”
