- The Backstreet Boys are featured in T-Mobile’s 60-second Super Bowl LX commercial that airs during the second quarter
- A teaser released this week shows the group warming up ahead of the shoot, doing vocal exercises with T-Mobile-inspired tongue twisters throughout
- This marks the 13th straight Super Bowl in which T-Mobile has advertised
Last year during the Super Bowl, T-Mobile highlighted its partnership with Starlink, inviting anyone and everyone — including Verizon and AT&T customers — to try out their satellite texting service for free.
It was a bold move.
This year, T-Mobile is embarking on another big move … to get the Backstreet Boys back. (!?!)
Well, the best-selling ’90s boy band is already “back together,” including a current stint at the Sphere in Las Vegas.
Nevertheless, this teaser shows the group warming up, doing vocal exercises in full white and magenta regalia. At one point, Brian Littrell quips: “We’re so back.” Another video on T-Mobile’s YouTube channel ends with: “The boys are back!”
The commercial is set to run during the second quarter of Sunday’s match between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. (Please, tell me why!)
Backstreet Boys surprise T-Mobile shoppers
T-Mobile already got some exposure for the ad after Good Morning America (GMA) sat down with the band for a segment where they talked about their long history together and the making of the commercial. Fun fact: They’re still the best-selling boy band of all time. (Sorry, NSYNC fans.)
Apparently, the band surprised shoppers at the T-Mobile Signature Store in Times Square when they were filming there.
The commercial was created in partnership with Panay Films. T-Mobile declined to say how much it spent on the ad, but Bloomberg reported that prices are as high as $10 million for a 30-second spot.
The commercial includes some wordplay, with the band singing “tell me why … it’s America’s best network” and touting “free perks.” It also features cameos from Druski, mgk and Pierson Fodé.
T-Mobile isn’t the only telecom player running a Super Bowl commercial. Charter Communications is touting its role as “America’s Connectivity Company” in a 30-second ad.
Fierce reached out to AT&T and Verizon to see if they’re running any Super Bowl ads. An AT&T spokesperson said they’re not running an ad during the game. Verizon didn’t say yay or nay, but it’s pretty mad about T-Mobile’s other ads, so it probably won’t dig what the Backstreet Boys are singing about.
T-Mobile and Super Bowl history
This marks the 13th straight year that T-Mobile has run an ad during the Super Bowl.
“T-Mobile has a long history of Super Bowl ads, bringing in celebrities, star athletes and famous musicians to bring awareness to its top initiatives,” said Jeff Moore, principal of Wave7 Research.
If you want to see what we all thought was funny (or what advertisers deemed funny) five or 10 years ago, Moore shared this YouTube clip showing a compilation of T-Mobile’s Super Bowl ads over the years. Hang in there for the robotic voice at the end. That’s sure to leave an impression.