GM and Netflix join forces with Super Bowl ad in deal that also puts EVs in shows

General Motors has found a new way to plug its electric vehicles—and it involves “Squid Game,” “Bridgerton,” “Stranger Things” and other Netflix hits. 

The automaker has struck a deal with the streaming giant to put its EVs in Netflix programming as part of an agreement that includes a 60-second Super Bowl ad starring Will Ferrell. Neither company released financial details on the arrangement, but the pact amounts to a major investment by GM to get its EVs into pop culture. 

The effort continues a marketing strategy by GM to portray itself as a maker of EVs for everyone, no matter the income level or lifestyle. The strategy—under the umbrella of a corporate ad campaign called “Everybody In”—included Super Bowl ads in 2021 and 2002. Ferrell first appeared in the 2021 ad that saw him use Norway (where EVs are plentiful) as a foil to motivate Americans to buy more EVs.

In this year’s ad, called “EVs On Screen,” Ferrell will be shown alongside Netflix show characters. He’ll drive a GMC Sierra Denali EV while being attacked by zombies from “Army of the Dead” and be kidnapped in a Chevy Blazer EV by a “Squid Game” cast member, for instance. Other shows referenced in the ad are “Bridgerton,” “Stranger Things,” “Queer Eye” and “Love is Blind.”

Logs for both Netflix and GM will appear at the end of the ad with the message, “Let’s give EVs the stage they deserve.”

Long-term partnership

Netflix beginning last year committed to including at least one EV in every Netflix-managed production, film or series, Netflix Chief Marketing Officer Marian Lee said Wednesday during a media briefing in which she appeared alongside GM Global Chief Marketing Officer Deborah Wahl. GM EVs have already appeared in “Love is Blind” and “Queer Eye,” Lee said. Decisions on how EVs are used are left up to showrunners and directors, she said, adding “we don't dictate storylines.” 

Netflix’s EV commitment is not exclusive to GM—it can use EVs from other automakers—but Netflix is “really committed to GM vehicles,” Lee said.

“This is a long-term partnership that we have with GM, there’s no end date in our mind,” she said. “And so we'll continue to work with GM for as long as they want to work with Netflix.”

Lee portrayed the deal as being part of Netflix’s “broader efforts in the sustainability space,” which include a commitment to cut its emissions in half by 2030. The company has reported that its carbon footprint in 2021 was about 1.5 million metric tons. It is seeking “more sustainable storytelling, which comes to life in two ways, both on-screen and behind the camera,” Lee said.

For GM, the deal helps it “normalize” EVs and highlight the “EV lifestyle in the most binge-worthy content ... which Netflix is a master at,” Wahl said. She added that the Netflix arrangement is “one example of how we're approaching partnerships and relationships differently,” calling it a “blueprint for the whole entertainment industry.”

While EVs still only account for a small fraction of the total automotive marketplace, sales are growing and automakers keep pouring billions of dollars into EV production. GM CEO Mary Barra during an earnings call this week said the company was on track to produce 400,000 EVs in North America from 2022 to mid-2024 using its proprietary Ultium platform, with “volumes increasing significantly in the second half of this year.” GM anticipates having a total of nine EV models in the market this year.

Promoting EV ambitions was a popular tactic for automakers in last year’s Super Bowl—Kia, BMW and EV startup Polestar were among the brands touting them. But this year, GM is the only one so far to confirm an electric vehicle Super Bowl ad. Kia is in the game but plans to highlight its gas-powered 2023 Telluride X-Pro. Multiple other brands are staying on the sidelines.

The downtick in Super Bowl investment comes as the auto industry deals with a tougher economy, including higher interest rates. GM this week reported record pre-tax profits for 2022 and a 28% surge in fourth-quarter revenue, according to Automotive News. But it also announced a two-year, $2 billion cost-cutting plan in part to brace for tougher macroeconomic conditions. The plan does not include layoffs, according to the company.