Electric pickup trucks are on fire with everything from Tesla’s Cybertruck to the all-new Rivian brand, to more familiar brands like Ford and Chevy getting in the game. With the newcomers enjoying “bright-shiny” status among Wall Street, Chevy needed to get in this game in a big, bold, memorable way to take over the conversation.

So we went in search of the perfect way to amplify Chevy’s authentic appeal with a sense of surging relevance. And we found it: pickup trucks (hotter than ever and now in EV) and “The Sopranos” (one of the hottest shows among the next generation of truck buyers, fueled by the lockdown).

It was the perfect partnership to help us, 1) ignite interest from an audience new to trucks, 2) redefine the perceptions of what a truck and truck owners can be, 3) create the reaction… “Damn Chevy, now you’ve got my attention.”

The opening credits of “The Sopranos” feature Tony Soprano touring his dominion of New Jersey in an old Chevy Suburban. Symbolizing power, loyalty, and family, it is instantly recognized by millions of fans.

Our spot reimagines the scenes through a modern lens, redefining those tenets while staying true to the original. After all, only a Soprano can replace a Soprano, and only a Chevy can replace a Chevy. We do both here, with Tony replaced by his daughter, Meadow, and the Suburban replaced by an all-new Chevy Silverado EV.

There’s a feeling of freedom and energy as Meadow drives the exact route that Tony took. After parking and plugging in the truck to charge, she is greeted with a hug by Tony’s son A.J. The spot and the truck represent a passing of time as well as the baton, paying respect to the past while clearly looking toward the future.

Silverado EV was designed to be a whole new truck for a whole new generation.

Chevrolet has grown the brand by targeting new-to-Chevy buyers who are younger and more diverse. Beyond the fact that the Super Bowl is the most watched television program in the U.S., more Americans aged 18-34 said they planned to watch the 2022 Super Bowl vs. 2021, presenting a prime opportunity to reach a vast, diverse audience of younger consumers.

Unlike other EV trucks, Silverado EV was built from the ground up with a boundary-breaking design. But the timeless mystique that built the ever-growing interest in trucks was essential to the story. The grit and badassery of trucks would be key for credibility. Above that, authenticity was essential.

Authentic. The show has so many fans who know it and love it, we had to get all the details right.

The first thing we did was enlist “The Sopranos” creator David Chase as our director. Once he was attached, his first order of business was to hire the cinematographer, Phil Abraham, who shot the original opening credits sequence. Finally, actress Jamie Lynn Siegler joined to reprise her role as Meadow Soprano, as did Robert Iler, who portrayed Tony’s son, A.J.

Once we had the original cast, crew and director, the only thing left to do was go to New Jersey, 24 years after the original was filmed, and retrace the sequence, shot by shot. No Hollywood backlots or CGI. Jersey, in January.

Authenticity can’t be faked, so we didn’t try.

Our “shock and awe” approach of debuting the spot in the heat of the moment proved fruitful.

The raw airing garnered 47% share of social media voice among the eight auto brands who teased or debuted their advertising prior. It amassed 25M organic impressions and trended at #4 on Twitter during game day.

The spot proved to be universally appealing. It was named one of the best Super Bowl spots by a diverse set of prominent publishers such as NPR, Maxim, People, Los Angeles Times, Thrillist, New York Post, Slate and Collider, and earned stories featured in 950 unique media outlets.

Notably, on the day after the game, quintessential morning show Good Morning America opened the show with the Sopranos spot playing on the famed Times Square digital screen in the background and segueing to famed ad expert Donny Deutsch claiming it was “by far the best Super Bowl ad.”