Yahoo's 15-second Super Bowl commercial is just the first step of an unfolding adventure for viewers.
For their first ad spot during the big game in 23 years, the web services provider, has created an unexpected interactive experience — featuring a celebrity known for doing the unexpected.
Bill Murray stars in the simple (by Super Bowl standards) commercial as a man having trouble seeing himself for who he truly is. In fact, looking in a mirror in his unkempt office, he seems himself as a dog.
"Have you ever looked in the mirror and not seen yourself?" he asks. "I don't think I need professional help, but a skilled amateur...maybe? Little help?" He then holds up a hand written note with his yahoo email address: [email protected].
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And yes, that address really connects viewers with Murray. Without spoiling the plot, those who write to the star should expect an intriguing untold story to unfold as they exchange messages back and forth.
In addition to the correspondence, Murray will also be going live on Yahoo.com and Yahoo Sports during the big game. What exactly he does during the broadcast is also to be determined by the man himself.
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Murray famously has a habit of popping up where the public least expects him, whether that's as an entertainer — like he's done on SNL or with an impromptu set of show tunes performed in an NYC park — or as a civilian.
He has a long history of gatecrashing.
In 1977, he turned up at Elvis's funeral and ended up in a confrontation with police, Priscilla Presley revealed in a 2018 interview. Decades later, in 2014, he famously crashed a South Carolina couple's engagement photoshoot and even appeared in the final pictures. In 2018, he suddenly appeared behind the podium at a White House press briefing to talk about a very important subject: the Chicago Cubs baseball team.
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During a 2018 episode of Sunday Today with Willie Geist, Murray revealed that while he’s aware of the “mythology” that surrounds him, it’s not something he actively devotes himself to.
“I don’t know what to make of it,” he said. There’s no plan there.”
He added that it’s not like he thinks to himself, “Gee, I’ve gotta work on my mythology stuff this afternoon.”
“You know, you can’t [go] ‘Oh Jesus, what am I doing about my myth?’” he added. “It’s not like that.”
During Super Bowl weekend, the mythology continues.
Beyond the emails and and livestream, fans should keep an eye out for references to Murray to pop up all over social media, maybe even from a few familiar creators.
"When you want to do something completely original and unexpected, there's only one person to call: Bill Murray," Yahoo's Chief Executive Officer Jim Lanzone said in a statement shared with PEOPLE. "The beauty of this campaign is how it brings together Bill's legendary storytelling and improvisation with the simplicity of email to create something entirely new."
He adds, "With Yahoo turning 30 this year, we're inviting everyone to be part of an adventure that could only happen with Bill Murray. We’re also celebrating achieving the impossible: getting Bill to check his email."
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