Tonight, Matt Damon will star in a Super Bowl ad for Stella Artois titled “Taps”.
Damon starts out the commercial by saying, “Millions of people in the developing world walk up to six hours every day for water.” The actor aims to bring audiences attention to Water.org, which invests in clean water initiatives in developing countries.
Damon founded the nonprofit organization in 2009 with Gary White, and this marks his first appearance in a Super Bowl ad.
The spot is more than just 30 seconds of education, though; it’s a promise. In the commercial, Damon declares that for every purchase of a Stella 12-pack, Stella Artois will donate enough money to provide 12 months of clean water for one person from Jan. 15 to April 15. For each pint of Stella bought in bars, the company promises to donate enough to provide one month of clean water as well.
In a recent interview with Adweek, Damon said, “We’ve learned this issue is hard for many people to relate to because clean, accessible water is a constant presence in their lives. Yet for millions around the world, this isn’t the case. Our challenge is to help create that understanding.”
Stella Artois vice president Harry Lewis echoed Damon’s sentiments. In a statement, Adweek reports him as saying, “Announcing that we’re using the Super Bowl to raise awareness for the global water crisis has already put this issue on a major stage… Now with the release of ‘The Wait for Water’ we are putting the global water crisis into fresh perspective to further inspire those who can help make an impact to take action this year.”
This year’s Super Bowl may feature the Eagles and the Patriots, but the ads are a big source of entertainment for viewers, as well. Most Super Bowl ads run 30 seconds in length. NBC charges companies approximately $5 million for every 30-second slot, according to Sporting News. The outlet reports that as of January 14, NBC had less than 10 available commercial spots for purchase.
Some of the biggest names who will be featured in Super Bowl ads include Chris Pratt, Bill Hader, David Schwimmer, Peyton Manning, and Danny DeVito, among others.