‘SNL’ Pairs Please Don’t Destroy With Allstate in Surprising Season 50 Commercial

As a veteran movie critic with over three decades of experience, I have seen the ever-evolving landscape of television and its relationship with advertising unfold before my very eyes. The recent partnership between “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) and Allstate is a testament to this transformation – a time when the once rigid boundaries between content and commerce are becoming increasingly blurred.

Last night’s broadcast of “Saturday Night Live” introduced viewers to an unexpected treat: a fresh short film from Please Don’t Destroy, the compact group of writers renowned for their fast-paced vignettes that can both surprise and delight in equal measure. Yet, what was presented wasn’t quite what was promised.

The PDD team of three (Ben Marshall, John Higgins, and Martin Herlihy) didn’t appear during the Saturday Night Live (SNL) show, but they did show up in an advertisement by insurance company Allstate. In this ad, which aired during a commercial break, they were seen discussing with “Mayhem,” a well-known character from Allstate ads played by actor Dean Winters for over a decade. Originally planned to air on SNL, the Please Don’t Destroy sketch was removed by producers due to time constraints and can now be found online.

The Allstate commercial, shown during Saturday Night Live (SNL), might have caused some surprise among SNL enthusiasts, given that Lorne Michaels, the show’s executive producer, usually discourages airing ads featuring current cast members during live broadcasts of the program. Typically, advertisers are informed that their commercials can only be aired during SNL reruns to prevent confusion about ad integration with the show. However, in 2021, NBC ran an Old Navy ad featuring Aidy Bryant, who was then a prominent cast member, twice during a new SNL episode, leading some to question why this occurred at the time.

In the current era, however, TV’s rules seem more easily bent.

As a movie enthusiast, I’ve noticed a shift in the viewing habits of many TV die-hards towards streaming platforms. Traditionally, ad-free shows were a staple on HBO’s linear pay-cable network, but with the advent of streaming services like Max (operated by Warner Bros. Discovery), sponsors can now easily purchase commercial slots in popular series such as “Girls” or “Game of Thrones.” Even during political debates, which were previously aired ad-free, networks like CNN and ABC News sold ads in 2024. This change reflects the evolving landscape of media where traditional conventions are being challenged to accommodate new revenue streams.

The Allstate commercial is just one of a number of deals that NBC has crafted between advertisers and “SNL” producers during the show’s landmark 50th season. L’Oreal’s Maybelline, Volkswagen and T-Mobile are also hitching their brands to “SNL” in a bid to use the late-night series’ landmark anniversary to gain new attention for their cosmetics, autos and communications services. In March of 2023, Michaels made a presentation in Studio 8H, “SNL’s’” longtime home at NBC’s New York headquarters, to around 100 advertisers about what to expect as the anniversary drew near.

Launching and sustaining these partnerships can be quite challenging. For instance, back in 2017, “SNL” decided to collaborate with advertisers for customized commercials, with a Verizon ad co-written by Colin Jost being one of the initial projects. However, this specific ad did not make it to air. A different agreement at the time allowed Apple to incorporate their laptop computer into a sketch. “SNL” ensured that a brief announcement preceded the skit, informing viewers that the Apple product was part of the promotional deal.

Working with “SNL” necessitates being open to letting Michaels’ team steer the ship. For Allstate, this meant becoming accustomed to and accepting that we needed to align with the universe of ‘SNL’, which is what we have successfully managed to do, according to Dave Marsey, senior vice president of media and growth marketing at Allstate during a presentation in October. Similarly cautious approaches are often seen in other late-night shows that occasionally incorporate advertising into their segments. For instance, Stephen Colbert, who has a strong reputation on Madison Avenue as an advocate for his CBS program “The Late Show,” is known to be quite assertive about his team’s control over the creative process.

Some advertisers might find it advantageous to join existing projects, and collaborating with “Please Don’t Destroy” created a somewhat familiar setting, so we wouldn’t have to begin anew, according to Marsey. They were excited about the opportunity to align with well-known “SNL” elements to become part of consumer discussions more quickly. This collaboration seems to be a significant stride for our brand in joining SNL’s 50th anniversary celebration.

Maybelline has aired concealer commercials starring ex-“SNL” actress Vanessa Bayer, and they’re planning to showcase another female “SNL” actor for a different product. The beauty brand is sponsoring an in-person photo booth experience connected to the show. Meanwhile, T-Mobile has been streaming host monologues live on social media during this season. In the upcoming months, Volkswagen will offer glimpses of “SNL” rehearsals for NBC’s Saturday night college football broadcasts, which is anticipated to be a significant primetime event in early 2025. Additionally, Volkswagen has been airing special ads that highlight well-known “SNL” cast members and their iconic microbus.

When NBCUniversal presented ‘SNL’, a cultural phenomenon, to us, it was only natural that our renowned symbols should collaborate,” Jennifer Clayton, Brand and Growth Marketing Director for Volkswagen of America, expressed during the October event.

In the past, ‘Saturday Night Live’ (SNL) has experimented with promoting various products. For instance, in 2018, they made a Google commercial featuring Bryant and Kyle Mooney from their cast. Similarly, in 2009, they created a series of Pepsi ads starring Will Forte as his famous character, MacGruber. During its initial season, SNL even ran live ads for Polaroid cameras during certain breaks, with Chevy Chase being one of the cast members involved.

Still, too much of a good thing could ruin a good thing. “SNL” may be hard-pressed to do dozens of such commercials, because its writers and producers often make fun of advertisements in “Weekend Update” segments and with a legion of satirical spots created over the years. If “SNL” is called upon to churn out more commercials for Allstate, Google and others, it may have less time to craft fake ones for Colon Blow, Little Chocolate Donuts, Mom Jeans or Oops I Crapped My Pants.

2024-11-17 23:47

‘SNL’ Pairs Please Don’t Destroy With Allstate in Surprising Season 50 Commercial

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