Squeak of the Week

There are a whole lot of firsts happening during this year’s Super Bowl.

Chicago’s Lovie Smith and Indianapolis’ Tony Dungy will make history as the first two African American head coaches to meet in the big game (heck, it’s the first time any African American head coach will be in the big game) – a fitting way to kick off Black History Month.

On the advertising front, it’s the first time user-generated ads will be featured – Doritos, Chevy, Alka-Seltzer, and even the NFL will showcase the talents of their biggest fans. And finally, it’s the first time a Super Bowl commercial will be used as a marriage proposal. A $2.5 million marriage proposal.

About 6 months ago a guy on the West Coast decided he was going to raise the money to buy a Super Bowl commercial to propose to his girlfriend. But he made the mistake of telling her about his plans and she put the kabosh on the whole thing. So this guy decided to give the idea to his friend, JP, who also planned on proposing to his girlfriend. JP’s girlfriend seemed to fit the bill of someone who just might go for this. After all, she loves football, she loves watching the ads during the Super Bowl, and most importantly, she doesn’t know about JP’s plans. Plus, she loves grand gestures and this idea seemed pretty, well, super.

So JP decided to tear a page from the Million Dollar Homepage’s playbook and start a website to raise the $2.5 million he would need to buy a 30-second spot for Super Bowl XLI. I know, I know. You’re thinking, “If I had $2.5 million I sure as heck wouldn’t be wasting it on a marriage proposal!” And after raising nearly $85,000 on his website, he realized that he was going to fall short of the goal line unless he called an audible. And that’s when Joe Morin, an Internet consultant, joined the huddle.

He immediately began pitching J.P. to corporate sponsors and, surprise, surprise, the sponsors loved it. They fell for the idea just like the Oklahoma Sooners fell for Boise State’s statue-of-liberty fakeout in the overtime of this year’s Fiesta Bowl.

So JP will speak from his heart for 23 seconds before the announcer will chime in with “This marriage proposal brought to you by…” and then direct viewers to a website where they can watch the girlfriend’s response. Hidden cameras will be placed around the room so all of America can see her reaction and in said room (which is sponsored), she will watch the ad on a plasma TV (which is sponsored) before JP presents her with the ring (which is sponsored).

And, assuming JP doesn’t fumble and his girlfriend accepts (TOUCHDOWN!), it won’t be the first time that someone proposed to his girlfriend on national TV during a football game this year. At the aforementioned Fiesta Bowl, running back Ian Johnson romped into the endzone with the winning two-point conversion then met his cheerleader girlfriend on the sidelines and dropped to one knee during an interview with Chris Myers. Win the Fiesta Bowl in overtime and she says yes? That’s a game-winner.

In the end, JP may be setting huge expectations for his future bride. After all, if the marriage proposal cost $2.5 million dollars, how much does he think the wedding is going to cost?!?

Whatever the cost, it should be one heck of a honeymoon.