The United States Secret Service has enlisted renowned movie director Michael Bay to create a recruiting advertisement set to debut during the Super Bowl, as per sources within the NFL and Secret Service. The production of the ad is estimated to have cost the Secret Service around $2 million, a significant sum given the current climate of budget cuts and layoffs in other government agencies. This budget is reportedly double the amount spent on previous Secret Service recruiting ads.
The ad is scheduled to be shown on the jumbotron inside New Orleans' Superdome stadium during the pregame show, with the NFL donating the ad time, saving the Secret Service from additional expenses. Typically, ad buys during Super Bowl Sunday can cost millions, with a 30-second TV spot reaching up to $8 million this year.
The recruitment ad comes at a critical juncture for the Secret Service, which has been grappling with issues such as low morale, burnout, staffing, and retention. The ad aims to highlight the agency's role in safeguarding the nation's leaders, emphasizing that the very event the audience is attending is secured by the Secret Service.
Secret Service Director Sean Curran expressed his support for the ad, stating that the team was empowered to devise an innovative approach that involved collaborating with a prominent director to showcase the agency's personnel within a tight timeframe while adhering to regulations.
The ad reportedly features images of Secret Service agents, former presidents, and potentially historic footage of past leaders. It may also include an image of President Trump from the day of an assassination attempt against him in Butler, Pennsylvania, although the final edit remains uncertain.
Michael Bay, the director behind blockbuster hits like the 'Transformers' series and 'Pearl Harbor,' shared that the ad was inspired by the concept of American freedom and aimed to honor the unsung heroes who protect the nation's democracy.
The ad's airing on Super Bowl Sunday follows negotiations between the Secret Service, Bay, and the NFL, with last-minute adjustments securing its placement during the pregame show. The Secret Service plans to utilize the ad for recruitment purposes on social media over the next five years.
The heightened security measures at the game, with multiple high-profile leaders in attendance, reflect the ongoing concerns following a recent terrorist attack in New Orleans that claimed 14 lives.
