Disney Airs GOAT Super Bowl Commercial
Disney doesn’t normally get into the humorous Super Bowl commercials game, favoring spots that tug at the heartstrings over ones that could be crowned the best. This year was an exception with the company airing the GOAT ad, both literally and figuratively. This post will take a look at this very important advertisement (basically a PSA), which feels like it was made specifically for me.
Actually, it felt like there was a lot about this Super Bowl aimed at me–or people of my generation, at least. The excellent Pepsi Halftime Show featured the music of my youth (apparently I wasn’t the only one who was hit with the realization that it was a nostalgia play during the show). Likewise, several of the other commercials featured cultural callbacks to celebrities, films, and television that were big during my formative years. As an “Elder Millennial,” it’s cool that my generation has finally entered our own as the catered-to demographic.
As for the Super Bowl commercials, they were once again a bit of a mixed bag. It seems like strategies have shifted a bit in recent years, with an increasing number of established companies no longer wanting to spend big to compete for the funniest commercial. Hard to blame them, with NBC charging an estimated $6.5 to $7 million for a 30 second spot.
The result was an ahem “interesting” mix, with sports gambling, cryptocurrency exchanges, and electric vehicles dominating the commercials, seemingly all attempting to enter the mainstream. It was vaguely reminiscent of a couple decades ago when nascent ecommerce websites did the same.
As a huge fan of both Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, my almost-favorite ad featured Larry David. It was pretty, pretty, pretty good until the final reveal curbed my enthusiasm. Other favorites included Arnold Schwarzenegger as a retired Zeus in a midlife crisis, Lindsay Lohan working (out) her way back into the spotlight, and Eugene Levy as an action hero in a spoof movie that I’d absolutely watch. But it was Disney+ that won the night for me…
Disney+ debuted a new spot during the Big Game in which Awkwafina shared that the streaming service has the greatest movies and shows of all time. The GOATs, both literally and figuratively.
The Disney+ Goat commercial took viewers on a tour of the Disney+ offices. I never thought working for a streaming service would be my dream job, but after seeing their workplace, I’m sold. The office of Disney+ is home of the goats/GOATs from Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Walt Disney Animation, National Geographic, and the companies other brands.
More than 30 goats can be seen in the promo representing many fan-favorite characters including Captain America, Chewbacca, Cruella, Woody, and Homer Simpson. If you missed it, you can catch the full commercial above.
Here are some images and posters of the GOAT goats:
Now, if you think it’s odd that this blog is essentially giving Disney+ free publicity to a commercial that’s irrelevant to Walt Disney World and Disneyland vacation planning, you must be new around here. Oddness is this site’s calling card. If you don’t know by now that we’re a bit weird and dorky, that one’s on you. 😉
Also, we are huge goat enthusiasts.
Disneyland should do some in-park #synergy for the Disney+ 🐐 commercial. I’m thinking a place where you can meet and greet goat, maybe even watch them run at the end of the day.
— Tom Bricker (@Tom_Bricker) February 14, 2022
Longtime readers might recall our obsession with Big Thunder Ranch at Disneyland, which is really the core of the apple here. If you have no idea what that is or what the above tweet is referencing, see our overly comprehensive Ultimate Guide to the Goats of Disneyland.
That offers everything from a history of farm animals at Disneyland to profiles of the individual goats who called “Goat Galaxy” home before it closed to make way for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. (It’s also much weirder than this post.) Speaking of which–if you’re looking for the intersection of bizarre, Disney, and critters–we also have posts about the Ducks of Disney: Donald’s Dynasty and the Cats of Disney: The Kingdom’s Kitty Keepers. Good times.
That’s all I’ve got for this post. Hope you all enjoyed the Super Bowl as much as I clearly did–we haven’t even gotten to former Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford winning a long-overdue championship, but that’s another story for later today. Again, not relevant to Walt Disney World or Disneyland vacation planning, but it’s fun, wholesome, and just plain good. There’s been plenty of negativity around these parts lately, so we thought it’d be nice to start the week off on a positive note, with something amusing and downright uplifting.
So here’s hoping this post has motivated you to conquer your fears and achieve excellence (those GOAT goat posters are basically inspirational messages, right?!). If not, hopefully the response to the Disney+ ad convinces the company to do more humorous commercials…or bring back Big Thunder Ranch. Better yet, dress up some goats like baby Bantha and let them roam Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Talk about killing two birds with one stone!
Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides beyond Disney, check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and tons of other places!
Your Thoughts
What did you think of the Disney+ GOAT commercial? Was it among your favorites–if not, what was? Would you like to see Big Thunder Ranch reprised at Disneyland…or goats roaming Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge as baby Bantha? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Hmm…..as a Gen X’er I always thought Dre was “ours” 🙂
Millennials can claim Kenrick though.
I think Gen X can claim Dre, but Millenials get Eminem. Kendrick Lamar is more Gen Z I think!
Kayla,
Marshal is 51!!
The ad was Super-cute and very welcomed, since the football G.O.A.T. retired and was not in the Super Bowl this year.
Your blog is my new favorite almost daily indulgence. Hilarious & informative. Also a huge fan of Seinfeld & Larry David, I can see their influence on your humor and writing!
The Disney goat commercial was my favorite Super Bowl commercial this year. In fact it was so memorable it’s the only one I clearly remember.
GOAT article right here Tom!!!
That Levy-Bautista chemistry was real. Too late to update the GOTG ride(s)?
(… I mean, Disney+ has everything. While I’d like it better if I could access categories more directly off the front page of the app, like I can for HBO Now’s “hubs,” it’s pretty easy to make it call up, say, Muppets … and THERE IT ALL IS!)
Tom you are the GOAT of Disney Bloggers in my opinion. Thanks for this fun post and for all that both of you do.
Word
Ahem. I believe you mean former National Champion Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Matthew Stafford. 😛
Loved this!! Agree with you on every point!! I am old! Generation X and still thought the half time show was one of the best!
Half-time show was executed fantastically and was very visually interesting, even if I didn’t know any of the music. Very nostalgic for many who grew up listening to it. Goats: I’m not a fan of the dressed up animal thing, as I can only imagine the animal wasn’t thrilled when having clothes and hats forced onto it. Just doesn’t seem to jive with the Animal Kingdom code/model. The Chevy Soprano’s commercial had me fanning the tears, however. Congrats to all the Rams fans.
Big Thunder Ranch. Sigh. Such an amazing place, it’s greatly missed. And that commercial was golden! Absolutely perfect!
And I pretended Matthew Stafford was wearing a Lion on his helmet during the celebration….what?
Yes! Bring back the animals to Big Thunder Ranch at Disneyland. And we need to scour the farms for another cow that has a “hidden Mickey” on its flank for guests to visit. Guest debates over whether it was a tattoo were priceless.
Thanks Tom, just thanks for being you.
I feel like bringing the goats into Galaxy’s Edge could be the boost it needs.
Quick, someone write goats into the next Galaxy’s Edge comic book (or whatever) so they’re canon!
I like this idea! What’s the Super Bowl?
I saw the Disney+ GOAT ad, and my first thought was “Tom is going to be so happy!”
Yep. It was a good night!
We thought the GOAT commercial was at the elementary school level and the so called “music” at halftime was TERRIBLE!
To each their own, I guess. I thought the commercial was cute–that’s all it was trying to be–and the halftime show was one of the all-time best.
Personally, I don’t care for country music, but I can still recognize artists like Merle Haggard, Hank Williams, Garth Brooks–and many others–are incredibly talented musicians, even if they’re not to my tastes. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Yeah, I wasn’t overly amused by their ad either. I never heard of Disney’s goats so I was manly just confused. Unfortunately, to show what a sore subject it is, a thought Disney was spiking the ball with the goats and that they tend to consume everything, including all of our money. Just like Disney has done.
Josh B, they weren’t referring to the actual Disney goats in the ad. They were using the term GOAT – Greatest of All Time – but making it super literal. That’s why the tag was “the greatest movies & shows of all time”.
I am still sad that on our first trip to DL, Big Thunder Ranch was closed. And after that it was being converted/converted to SW:GE. Though I suspect (know) my goat enthusiasm does not match yours, so perhaps it would have been a let down. I guess there’s still Rafiki’s Planet Watch? 🙂
Rafiki’s Planet Watch is a lot of fun–and good for other reasons–but it doesn’t match Big Thunder Ranch. It’s hard to explain, but it was really something special. I’m not sad it was replaced–more happy it managed to survive so long, basically in the middle of one of the most popular theme parks on the planet.