Volkswagen teases Super Bowl ad featuring singer Jimmy Cliff

By David Undercoffler

Jan. 25, 2013 6:01 AM PT

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Another day closer to the Super Bowl brings us another automaker teasing the ads they’ve paid millions to air.

This time it’s Volkswagen, the company behind a number of memorable Super Bowl ads, including the adorable “The Force” spot from 2011 in which a mini Darth Vader breathes life into a Passat.

For 2013, the message is “Get Happy.” The teaser ad doesn’t show any VWs, just Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musician Jimmy Cliff singing “C’mon, Get Happy” in a field. Joining him are various YouTube celebrities known for their decidedly unhappy online tirades or breakdowns.

The large group dances -- awkwardly at times -- while Cliff extols the virtues of being happy. Look closely and you’ll see YouTube celebs like Angry Politician, Girl Who Loves Cats So Much She Cries and Base-Throwing Angry Baseball Manager.

The teaser concludes by telling us that Feb. 3 -- the day the Baltimore Ravens play the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl -- will be the time to get happy. Clearly no one at VW is a New England Patriots fan.

VW’s ad will join those from automakers like Toyota (featuring “Big Bang Theory’s” Kaley Cuoco), Hyundai, Lincoln, Audi and Mercedes-Benz (with none other than Kate Upton and Usher). There are also rumors that General Motors will give half-time performer Beyonce a 2014 Corvette Stingray during the show.

The price of admission for companies looking to advertise during the Big Game is up since 2012 by around 7%. The average price for a 30-second spot this year is $3.8 million, while a 60-second ad will run $7.5 million.