Super Bowl commercials: Dale Earnhardt Jr. stars in Diet Mountain Dew’s ‘Dale Call’

Prior to the start of the Super Bowl this year, there was still one notable ad that came on the air: A spot for Diet Mountain Dew entitled “Dale Call,” which featured none other than famed Nascar driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and a theme that felt very much like a giant ad for “Duck Dynasty.”

This was an ad that was really all about the funny, even if it didn’t really do too much when it comes to telling you why it was important to drink Diet Mountain Dew more so than any of the other drinks out there.

What worked – Having Dale Jr. appear in the spot. He is almost the perfect spokesman for the Super Bowl, since many football fans are also big-time Nascar fans. Therefore, hooray for crossover audiences! He is a likable guy to many who loves the sport, and he also seems like the kind of guy who would like duck hunting.

What didn’t – This is probably the issue that we have here. When we think about Mountain Dew, we think about the likes of video gamers or extreme-sports athletes. When we think about duck hunters, we think about whiskey and moonshine; meanwhile, we think of milk / Coca-Cola when we think about Nascar drivers. If hunters drank Mountain Dew, would they really pick the kind without the sugar?

Grade: B-. This was a fun ad, but a pretty confusing one. Obviously, Mountain Dew is trying to expand their brand; but since they have to know that nobody is going to actually think that drinking this will get Dale Jr. to show up, it’s not that effective. Plus, it’s not funny enough to stand out above the rest.

What did you think about this commercial? Share your thoughts below, and also visit the link here to see some more of the ads seen during the big game.

Photo: Diet Mountain Dew