Sprint’s ‘over the top’ Super Bowl commercial summons Bo Jackson — and a mermaid

Sprint is taking former Kansas City Royals player Bo Jackson to the Super Bowl — in its commercial.

Jackson, who also played football for the then-Oakland Raiders, is conjured up during the ad to deliver the news that consumers can get the “best of both worlds” from Sprint, namely a “great network and a great price,” according to Sprint.

The ad says Sprint wireless is two times faster than before and consumers can save $1,000 by switching from Verizon or AT&T. Jackson wonders aloud why someone doesn’t just say that.

The ad begins with an idea-generating session among Sprint’s other marketing messengers: Paul Marcarelli, better known as the former “Can you hear me, now?” guy for Verizon, and three robots: Evelyn, Atlas and Sassbot.

“How about we get two-sport legend Bo Jackson?” Sassbot asks, and Jackson appears.

The rest is what Sprint’s announcement of the ad called “over the top.”

Sassbot shouts out more “best of both worlds” ideas and each appears with Jackson: “a mermaid,” “a keytar” and “a bird-horse.”

Sprint’s announcement explains that each is a “best of both world” example. Both fish and human; keyboard and guitar, and a Pegasus is both bird and horse.

Watch for it during the game’s second quarter.

This is Sprint’s third consecutive Super Bowl appearance. In 2015, Sprint aired a Super Bowl ad that showed consumers cutting their wireless bills in half — a Sprint promotion — with a chain saw, weed whacker and sword.

The TV spot is latest appearance by Jackson, 56, who recently delighted audiences at Royals FanFest at Bartle Hall.

This story was originally published January 31, 2019 at 3:12 PM.