Super Bowl commercials: Why the Kia ad with Laurence Fishburne was ‘Matrix’-like

Here is the key to making an awesome Super Bowl commercial if you are a car company: Don’t focus on your car too much. Also, introduce a really famous person, and remind people of a crazy popular movie that they loved from a few years back.

This is precisely what Kia did during their ad on Sunday night, which featured a special appearance from none other than Laurence Fishburne. This one, from the opera singer to the effects, is just plain awesome all around. The best ads are ones that we would never think about, and this is clearly one that never came up in our mind at all.

What worked – Everything, from the casting to the technology to the overall tone of it. It’s been long enough now that people have started to forget about the two terrible “Matrix” movies that closed out the “trilogy that didn’t need to be a trilogy.” This was more or less a love letter to fans of the film … and there was an ad in there somewhere.

What didn’t – If you hate “The Matrix,” Fishburne, or other things that are quite frankly boss, maybe you didn’t like this. If this is the case, we feel extremely sad for you.

Grade: A+. If there was a grade A+++, this ad would get it. The best of the whole night to us when it comes to being funny, being surprising, and actually making us interested in a brand that typically has poor commercials.

What did you think about this commercial? Share your thoughts below.