Super Bowl 50 - WKTV Journal

The new statute for Gerald Ford has become hot spot for selfies. (Supplied/Ford Airport)

By WKTV Staff

The entertainment and sports world — and an estimated 1 million West Michigan viewers — will be focused on their televisions this Sunday as Super Bowl LVI plays and everybody attention is on the game, the halftime and, of course, those advertisements.

And it is not just beer and soda commercials either. Getting in on the action, the Gerald R. Ford International Airport has announced it, too, will air its first Super Bowl spot, a 30-second ad, which “leans on a football theme to underscore the ease of travel through Ford International Airport – complete with yellow flags over a penalty.”

The commercial was created by Extra Credit Projects, and recorded and produced with Taproot pictures in Grand Rapids.

“We are excited to unveil this new ad to our fans during the game of the year,” Dan Koorndyk, chair of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority, said in supplied material. “… The Super Bowl felt like a great opportunity to showcase the Airport to our community.”

Travel numbers grew steadily during 2021 for Ford International Airport, reaching 2.9 million passengers – 82 percent of its pre-pandemic numbers, which were records.

“The Airport has experienced tremendous growth and continues to advance plans for additional development, making it a huge economic driver in the region,” Rob Jackson, principal at Extra Credit Projects, said in supplied material. “The scale of the Super Bowl felt right … at the end of the day, it’s just exciting to be part of the big game and connect with such a broad audience in the region.”

The football connection also seems fitting for the airport’s namesake.

“The Ford International Airport has an undeniable connection to football as former President Gerald R. Ford helped lead his Michigan Wolverines to two undefeated seasons on the gridiron nearly nine decades ago,” Tory Richardson, president and CEO of Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority, said in supplied material.

“As a player, it says everything about you if you made the Hall of Fame.
But, then again, boy… there’s something about winning a Super Bowl.” – Terry Bradshaw

By: Dianna Higgs-Stampfler

The Super Bowl will reach a milestone on February 7, 2016 with the observance of its 50th “Golden Jubilee” game to be held at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, California—home of the San Francisco 49ers. In celebration of this milestone, Traverse City-based JKR Ventures has released a commemorative book focused on the long-standing history of “The World’s Greatest Entertainment Event.”

Super Bowl 50: Celebrating Fifty Years of America’s Greatest Game is written by acclaimed sportswriter Bethany Bradsher, with a foreword written by Super Bowl Champion and retired San Francisco 49er Dwight Clark. With 344 action-packed full-color pages, including more than 650 photographs, the book is bound to score with football fans around the world. This must-have book unveils the whole Super Bowl experience, one that most fans could never access.

Jerry Jenkins, founder and CEO of the publishing services firm Jenkins Group, and colleagues Brett Karis and Ron Harris, are investment partners for the book, under the JKR Ventures brand. They in turn partnered with Greenlight Marketing in Traverse City to create the book layout and design.

“I’ve seen a fair number of Super Bowl books over the years, and most of them were written for the football enthusiast,” shares Jenkins. “Not many images, too many statistics, and somewhat bland design and content. We wanted to create a book that not only covers the games, but also captures the cultural celebration that the Super Bowl has become.”

Through never before released anecdotes, photos and facts, Super Bowl 50: Celebrating Fifty Years of America’s Greatest Game brings readers behind the curtain to experience this spectacle in an unprecedented manner. It highlights the games, players and coaches, as well as the diverse activities and fun beyond the gridiron.

Story headlines like “The Clydesdales,” “Super Bowl Party Food,” “Media Frenzy” and “The Evolution of Halftime” illustrate how this book showcases elements of the Super Bowl to which even non-sports fans gravitate. Every page in Super Bowl 50 is guaranteed to bring back a Super Bowl memory (heartwarming or heartbreaking).

“What I first envisioned was a book not just for a sports nut, but for every person who watches the Super Bowl for the halftime shows, commercials, and the ceremony of it all,” says Jenkins.

With over 500 images, “Fun Facts,” a multi-page timeline of all 50 halftime acts, and even a salute to the beloved Detroit Lions (a no-show at the Super Bowl, if you’ve been keeping track), the book content will stand out against any other of its kind on bookshelves.

“We typically collaborate with clients who need marketing assistance – advertising, websites, branding, and the like,” says Kevin Gillespie, owner and creative director of Greenlight Marketing in Traverse City. “But this was a once-in-a-lifetime project, and our entire team of designers and project managers were on board.”

The Super Bowl is much more than just a game, and Super Bowl 50: Celebrating Fifty Years of America’s Greatest Game covers them all:

The Games
◦ Super Bowl I (actually called “The AFL-NFL World Championship”)
◦ Last season’s breathtaking game between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots

The Players
◦ The stars (Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers)
◦ The ones who never made it to a Super Bowl (Barry Sanders, Detroit Lions)

The Coaches
◦ Vince Lombardi (Green Bay Packers)
◦ Bill Parcells (New York Giants)

The Halftime Show
◦ Michael Jackson
◦ Janet Jackson’s “Wardrobe malfunction”

The Commercials
◦ Apple’s debut in 1984
◦ Mean Joe Greene for Coca Cola: “Hey, kid, catch!”

The “oddities”
◦ The Chicago Bears’ “Super Bowl Shuffle”
◦ The “Blackout” game at the Super Dome

The Audience
◦ The international appeal, making the Super Bowl the #1 sporting event in the world
◦ Super Bowl Parties

Author Bradsher comprehensively narrates details about the Super Bowl and all the festivities and pomp around it, offering all fans unparalleled access. In Super Bowl 50: Celebrating Fifty Years of America’s Greatest Game, she’s analyzed the unforgettable plays, players and coaches; even researching how much beer, chips and dips are consumed (and what the consensus is for “Favorite Super Bowl Snack.”)

Two editions of Super Bowl 50: Celebrating Fifty Years of America’s Greatest Game are available: a commemorative hardcover edition, with football grain textured cover material, gold foil, and laces embossed on the spine ($49.95), and a softcover edition ($29.95). Both editions are timeless keepsakes, and were released in September to coincide with the kickoff of the 2015 NFL season. They are available in bookstores nationwide and at www.SuperBowl50Book.com.

This article was republished with permission from Dianna at Promote Michigan. We do our best to help with the promotion of the great State of Michigan!