Hollywood icon George Clooney has officially entered the high-stakes world of Super Bowl advertising. The Oscar-winning actor, aged 64, is set to feature in Grubhub's inaugural Big Game commercial, which will broadcast during the third quarter of this Sunday's highly anticipated Super Bowl clash between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots.
A Theatrical and Surreal Advertisement
This 30-second spot, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos, represents Clooney's first foray into a national Super Bowl advertisement. The commercial is set within the opulent confines of an extravagant castle, where a meticulously dressed ensemble of guests convenes for a theatrical dinner party. The table is lavishly piled high with an array of takeout dishes, setting a scene of decadent celebration.
However, the mood of the gathering takes a dramatic and unsettling turn. As the evening builds with exaggerated ceremony, the host solemnly announces the final course: the fees. A wave of palpable panic and shock ripples through the room. Guests visibly recoil, gasping at the prospect of being compelled to 'consume' the additional delivery and service charges that typically accompany such orders.
Clooney's Calming Intervention
The mounting tension is deftly broken by the arrival of Clooney's character. With his signature calm authority, he intervenes to deliver the campaign's core message, stating simply: 'Grubhub will eat the fees.' This pivotal line is then picked up by the astonished dinner guests, who begin to chant it in a surreal, repetitive mantra—'Grubhub will eat the fees… Grubhub will eat the fees…'—before Clooney offers a dry clarification of the offer.
The advertisement concludes by specifying the permanent benefit: no delivery fees, no service fees, and no additional charges on restaurant orders exceeding $50. According to a Grubhub press release, this initiative is designed as a lasting policy shift aimed directly at addressing a common customer frustration, noting that fees on orders over $50 can average around $13 on competing platforms.
Collaboration with an Acclaimed Director
For Clooney, the project was an exciting collaboration. 'When I heard Yorgos Lanthimos was directing his first Super Bowl spot for Grubhub, and they called and asked me to be a part of it, I was thrilled,' the actor told People magazine. 'He's one of my favorite directors.'
Clooney emphasised that despite the condensed format of a television commercial, the working environment felt entirely authentic to Lanthimos's distinctive filmmaking style. 'Honestly, nothing changed,' Clooney explained. 'He treats a 30-second spot the same way he treats a film. We're in this incredible castle with these terrific actors. He uses his same cameraman that he shoots every film with. He has a very clear point of view, and that carried all the way through.'
The actor ultimately described the finished advertisement as 'a very short, two-minute Yorgos Lanthimos film,' expertly distilled into a moment perfectly crafted for the Super Bowl audience. Lanthimos, the Oscar-nominated director behind films like The Favourite and Poor Things, brings his unique surrealist aesthetic to the commercial realm.
Strategic Brand Partnership
This high-profile advertisement follows Clooney's lucrative partnership deal with Grubhub, which was signed in December. Filming for the commercial took place at North Mymms Park, an Elizabethan mansion and estate near Hatfield in Hertfordshire. The actor, who resides with his wife, lawyer Amal Clooney, in Sonning, Berkshire, connected strongly with the campaign's straightforward message against annoying extra charges.
'It's a great way to tell people that they agree the fees are annoying,' Clooney said simply, highlighting the ad's direct appeal to consumers weary of hidden costs. This strategic move by Grubhub, leveraging star power and directorial prestige, aims to make a significant impact during one of the world's most-watched television events.
