Eugene Levy stars in eyebrow-raising Little Caesars Crazy Puffs Super Bowl commercial
Eugene Levy says his eyebrows have been a topic of conversation in his life for as long as he can remember. But the idea of them being the centerpiece of an advertising campaign by flying off his face and flapping around like a bug or butterfly had never come up before.
So when Little Caesars made its pitch for the “Schitt’s Creek” and “American Pie” star to appear in a Super Bowl commercial for Crazy Puffs, a recent menu addition at the national pizza chain, Levy’s initial reaction must have seemed eyebrow-raising to executives.
“Boy, yeah, really? Eyebrows?” Levy told USA Today’s Ad Meter in an interview last week. “And then I actually thought about it. The fact is people have been talking about these things forever and I thought, you know what, maybe this is the way to pay it off in a lovely way.”
“The more I thought about it, the more excited I got,” he added. “It’s kind of a funny concept, especially for (the) Super Bowl, because they’re always looking for something different, sharp and funny, and it’s very competitive, and this may just be the thing that cuts through.”
Little Caesars is showcasing Levy’s comic touch and his distinctive and thick black eyebrows in its return to Super Bowl advertising with hopes of extending its reach beyond traditional food marketing. The official pizza of the NFL will air a 30-second spot during the third quarter of the Super Bowl 59 matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles on Feb. 9. It’s the first time since 2020 that the Detroit-based brand has produced a commercial for the big game.
Little Caesars Eugene Levy Super Bowl commercial
This high-profile debut will serve as the launch of a campaign focused on the new bacon and cheese version of Little Caesars’ Crazy Puffs, a popular menu item it first introduced in March 2024. The bacon and cheese Crazy Puffs are available in stores beginning Feb. 3.
Levy isn’t the only member of his family in this Super Bowl commercial, nor is he the first member of his family to enjoy Crazy Puffs.
Dan Levy, Eugene Levy’s son and co-creator/co-star of “Schitt’s Creek,” went viral with an Instagram story last April in which he described Little Caesars’ Crazy Puffs as “near perfect” and “stunning.” Eugene Levy said his son’s previous unofficial endorsement was completely unrelated to his agreement with Little Caesars for this Super Bowl commercial. Only after this advertisement came together did Levy become aware his son was already a Crazy Puffs fan.
“He’s going to be bummed he didn’t get it,” Levy quipped about his co-host at the 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards.
Little Caesars has a history of using celebrities and athletes for its commercials. In recent years, NFL players have all appeared in advertising campaigns. Rainn Wilson, of “The Office” fame, appeared in the pizza chain’s 2020 Super Bowl commercial centered around pizza delivery being the best thing since sliced bread.
This is Eugene Levy’s second appearance as the star of a Super Bowl commercial. He previously appeared in Nissan’s “Action Thrill” campaign for the Nissan Z in 2022, when he was transformed into an action hero in an advertisement that also featured Brie Larson, Dave Bautista and Danai Gurira from the Marvel films.
Levy plays himself in this year’s Little Caesars ad, which begins with him on set, opening a box of Crazy Puffs and taking a bite from one.
“Whoa,” Levy says, and those eyebrows immediately flutter off his forehead. The concept, Levy explained, is that he's so excited to be eating Crazy Puffs, his eyebrows “just take off and then create havoc, which is what I love.”
They distract a jogger, who runs into a tree after flying in his face. Two women scream after the eyebrows end up on a baby’s face in a stroller positioned like the infant’s mustache. The camera flashes to caterpillars bowing down to the eyebrows while chanting, “We’re not worthy,” in a tree. The eyebrows eventually land on the hand of Levy’s daughter and “Schitt’s Creek” co-star, Sarah Levy, as she sits at a table with a friend holding a coffee cup.
“My dad’s eating Crazy Puffs again,” Sarah Levy says in her cameo. “Don’t ask.”
“It wasn’t meant to be a ‘Schitt’s Creek’ touch,” explained Eugene Levy, who currently stars in "The Reluctant Traveler" on AppleTV+. “But I think the fact that it made more sense to me that Sarah is the one referring to, ‘Oh, it’s my dad having a Crazy Puff again,’ instead of somebody else just saying, ‘Oh, Eugene Levy must be having a Crazy Puff again,’ it just seemed to warm it up a bit and if anybody can warm up a moment, it’s my daughter, Sarah.”
The ad ends with Levy’s eyebrows settling back on his face, right as another Little Caesars customer asks him if he knew about the new bacon flavor. The eyebrows start flitting anew and Little Caesars’ cartoon mascot and slogan – “Pizza, Pizza,” – signal the close of what Levy believes will be a commercial that stands out on the biggest advertising night of the year.
“This ad is all about celebrating the bold, crave-worthy fun that is Little Caesars, and the addition of Bacon & Cheese Crazy Puffs takes it to a whole new level,” Little Caesars chief marketing officer Greg Hamilton said in a statement. “With Eugene Levy at the helm, we’ve created a spot that’s as deliciously entertaining as Crazy Puffs themselves.”
“I think people are going to get a kick out of it,” Levy added.