CarMax's 'Rudy'-Inspired Super Bowl Ad Comes In Both Human And Puppy Versions

CarMax wanted a unique way to promote its Super Bowl ad a couple weeks before the Feb. 2 game. The solution: recreate the commercial shot-for-shot with puppies.

The version that will play during the game stars a man who bought the perfect used car. After thanking a CarMax rep, the agent starts a slow clap, in homage to the classic underdog football movie "Rudy." Soon, everyone the guy drives by continues the clap. Sean Astin, the star of "Rudy," even makes a cameo:

The puppy version replaces claps with barks, and is unsurprisingly cute:

The agency Silver + Partners produced both ads.

A 30-second cut of the "human version" will run during the game, and the puppy version will remain exclusively online. CarMax doesn't mind if the puppy version outshines the original.

"I will feel excited about any of our combined efforts around the Super Bowl that generate enthusiasm around our brand," Laura Donahue, CarMax vp of creative marketing, told Adweek.

It is CarMax's first Super Bowl appearance since 2011.

Here's Sean Astin as he appears in the ad alongside his puppy counterpart:

Illustration/Images from YouTube, CarMax