Earnhardt is sponsored by Anheuser-Busch's Budweiser, but the brewer is using its 30-second spot to promote an anti-drink drive message.
In the ad, created by DDB Chicago, Earnhardt serves as the designated driver, taking his friends home in his famous Number 8 Budweiser race car.
The ad for Anheuser-Busch, a long-time Super Bowl advertiser, will debut on February 3 during Super Bowl XXXVI. "Anheuser-Busch has been using the Super Bowl for years as a way to deliver important alcohol awareness and education messages to millions of adults," Francine Katz, vice-president of consumer affairs, said.
The Super Bowl is usually the biggest sporting and advertising event in the US calendar. However, Fox, which will broadcast the Super Bowl, is reported to still have spots remaining and has been forced to slash its rates to around £1m per slot, compared with the £1.4m average charged by CBS when it screened the game last year.
So far, Fox has also signed AT&T Wireless, E*Trade, General Motors, HotJobs.com, Levi Strauss and Monster.com.
Monster.com's advertising will also move away from promoting its brand and will feature former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
In the black-and-white spot, Giuliani thanks Americans for their support after the terrorist attacks, saying: "For all New Yorkers, I just want to say thank you America." The spot was created by Havas-owned Arnold Worldwide.
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