‘Mean’ Joe Greene to reprise his ad role in this year’s Super Bowl

posted at 3:15 pm on February 3, 2012 by Howard Portnoy

Some watch the Super Bowl because they love football. Some watch it because they love the commercials.

Finally, some watch the commercial sales because they represent something unprecedented in the realm of American business. Each year, the cost of airtime during the Big Game grows exponentially. And each year, the competition for a prized spot grows likewise.

For Super Bowl XLVI (that’s the one on Sunday, for those who don’t watch for the football) the average cost for a 30-second spot is $3.5 million, according to USA Today. And some time slots run as high as $4 million. And that’s not including the not-inconsiderable production costs that go into some ads, especially those featuring celebrities.

One of this year’s ads feature two celebrities, comedienne Amy Sedaris and Hall of Fame defensive tackle Mean Joe Greene, who was part of the Pittsburgh Steelers legendary “Steel Curtain” defense of the 1970s. Mean Joe is no stranger to Super Bowl ads, having played himself in a 1979 Coca-Cola commercial considered one of the all-time best Super Bowl ads.

This year Greene is reprising his role, with Sedaris playing the part of “the kid” to whom he tosses his jersey. For those who can’t wait until Sunday, a sneak peek of the ad is here.

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