Pokémon launches Super Bowl ad to celebrate 20th anniversary

Pokémon has unveiled its first ever advert for the Super Bowl as it aims to bring fans together to celebrate its 20th birthday.

The 30-second ad will be aired during the third quarter of the 7 February game, but the company released an extended version to build excitement among fans.

The spot, which is packed with hidden Pokémon references, explores ambition, drive and training – the traits that make a successful Pokémon trainer. It ends with a call to action: Train on.

The ad is part of a yearlong campaign celebrating 20 years of Pokémon. First introduced in Japan in 1996 with the video games Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green for the Nintendo Game Boy system, the brand has sold more than 275 million video games worldwide, shipped 21.5 billion collectable cards to 74 countries and released an animated series spanning 18 seasons.

Commenting on the ad, J.C. Smith, senior director of consumer marketing at The Pokémon Company International says: “For 20 years, the Pokémon world has inspired fans to train hard and have fun. This ad is reflective of that passion, and I can’t think of a bigger stage to share this story than the Super Bowl.”

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