In its second season, Glee transformed from hit show to youth phenomenon. The partnership was designed to transcend the usual showcasing of product within program, and Murphy’s involvement was essential to execution that would feel authentic versus forced.

Though Ryan rightfully protects his creative “child,” opportunity arose when Fox aired a special Glee episode in TV's most coveted timeslot: immediately after the Super Bowl. The media idea: teaming on a "Glee-mercial" for Chevrolet to air during the Super Bowl, linking Glee and Chevy in an production worthy of TV's biggest stage.An alliance of creator, studio, network, advertiser, media and creative agencies created an ad story in which Glee characters performed a Super Bowl commercial for Chevrolet, featuring a stunning rendition of 1950's jingle "See the USA in Your Chevrolet" led by Glee star Lea Michele. Immediate on-line support let fans re-watch the performance and see extra footage.

The well reviewed, well received Glee-mercial successfully polished the tarnish from the old brand in a highly buzz-generating effort that changed perceptions among the largest TV audience possible. Surveyed people reported a 22% higher opinion of Chevrolet given its alignment with Glee. The Glee-mercial’s “likeability” score was 367% higher than Chevy ad norms, and spurred social network conversation among the youth audiences essential to Chevrolet’s growth. Plus, the effort drove additional buzz by standing out favorably amidst the most scrutinized ad showcase of the year, earning consumer and trade press coverage.