Not only do beluga whales have Einstein-level IQs, but at least one of the Arctic-dwelling creatures has been blessed with the gift of speech.
That’s according to a comedic 30-second teaser from NerdWallet for its first Super Bowl commercial.
The video, launching today during the NFL Conference Championship games, plays fast and loose with the marine mammal’s skills—through the wonder of CGI—while thoroughly freaking out a whale-watching tourist named Richard.
Putting the spotlight on the highly intelligent animal is “a fitting match for NerdWallet, which is dedicated to helping people make smarter financial decisions,” per the brand and its agency of record, Deutsch.
Unlike some teasers, which can be purposely oblique, the NerdWallet sneak peek indicates where the creative will go for the hero spot, airing during the third quarter of the Big Game on Feb. 9. It has the simple tagline, “Genius coming, 2.09.25.”
Outside the commercial, the brand will continue celebrating beluga whales with a nod to the currently buzzy look-alike trend. In the coming days, those who think they resemble the so-called “canary of the sea” can share photos of themselves to a dedicated website for a chance to win Super Bowl LIX-related prizes.
NerdWallet is partnering with meme king and self-proclaimed beluga look-alike Tank Sinatra for the contest.
Broad reach, light tone
NerdWallet has spent the past several years broadening its reach with such campaigns as “Future You,” a series of cheeky, music-driven spots with a dystopian theme, and a tie-in with Sesame Street’s numbers-obsessed Count character.
For its Super Bowl debut, the brand aims to continue this light-hearted tone, allowing NerdWallet to “show up as an approachable brand in an otherwise daunting category,” per Alison McCoy, vice president of brand marketing.
