Zac Brown band photo by www.jeffography.com; courtesy of Shore Fire Media.

Sunday’s Academy of Country Music Awards might not have carried the heft of the Super Bowl, but the CBS event was still a major broadcast that reached a specific target audience. Thus, it was a perfect vehicle for a number of advertisers, including a couple who used the awards to debut new commercials featuring Rascal Flatts and Zac Brown Band.

The whole content/commercial tie-in came into play from the very start of the show. Charlie Daniels popped up on fiddle with Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley and John Fogerty on the amped-up opener, “Travelin’ Band.” At the close of the piece, Charlie looked right into the camera and rejiggered his words from a Geico spot: “Now that’s how you start a television show, son!”

The Geico ad ran later, as did a commercial touting the Lady Antebellum album Need You Now. As well as the debut ads.

The Rascal Flatts spot was for the Hershey’s product S’mores. Shot in Los Angeles during a three-day period in February, it finds the band at the side of a desert highway cooking up some of the chocolate-marshmallow-Graham cracker treats. In short order, their cookout becomes a mini-concert for passers-by who want in on the party. The song they wrote for the commercial, “Your Day To Get Away,” can be downloaded at PureSmores.com with the purchase of a Hershey’s six-pack.

Rascal Flatts is a big attraction for corporate tie-ins. The day after the ACMs, the band announced JC Penney will sponsor its Nothing Like This Tour this summer, featuring opening acts Kellie Pickler and Chris Young.

Meanwhile, the new Zac Brown spot coincided with the group’s USO tour of the Middle East. The ACM telecast featured several segments of the band performing for American troops in the desert, and one of those bits included the patriotic verse from their breakthrough single, “Chicken Fried.” The Ram Truck ad with ZBB that debuted during one commercial break launched a “Letters For Lyrics” campaign that encourages viewers to write letters to service men and women. The program dangles a free download of Zac and crew’s current single, “Free.”

“Performing with the USO for the men and women in uniform has been a great experience for us,” Zac says. “We wanted to find a bigger way to thank them, a way to mobilize people nationwide to show their support for these incredible individuals. Ram Truck Brand was the perfect partner to realize this dream. Not only do they share our commitment to recognize the troops’ service and sacrifice, but they are determined to ensure this program helps to send a little piece of home to our service members abroad.”

Now stick with us through this commercial break…

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