2022 GM – Dr. EV-il

Climate change just got a new enemy and he’s one EVil son of a Belgian. Dr. EV-il is going electric to stop climate change from ruining Earth before he can. #EVerybodyIn​

AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY, AUSTIN POWERS: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME, AUSTIN POWERS IN GOLDMEMBER and all related characters and elements © & ™New Line Productions, Inc.

The General Motors (GM) 2022 Super Bowl ad, titled “Dr. EV-il,” reunited the cast of the Austin Powers movies to promote GM’s electric vehicles and address climate change. The 60-second commercial aired during the third quarter of Super Bowl LVI.

The commercial opens with Dr. Evil (Mike Myers) and his henchmen—Number Two (Rob Lowe), Scott Evil (Seth Green), and Frau Farbissina (Mindy Sterling)—taking over the GM headquarters at the Renaissance Center in Detroit. Dr. Evil plans to take over the world but is informed that he is now only the “second-greatest threat” to the world, behind climate change. To regain his status as the number one global threat, he agrees to help save the world by promoting GM’s electric vehicles (EVs).

The ad humorously highlights the importance of transitioning to EVs to combat climate change, framing it as a necessary step before Dr. Evil can proceed with his world domination plans.

The ad showcases GM’s Ultium platform, which powers their growing fleet of electric vehicles. Several GM EVs are featured, including the GMC Hummer EV, Cadillac Lyriq, Chevy Silverado EV, and BrightDrop electric delivery van.
Celebrity Cameos: The commercial brings back the main cast of the Austin Powers movies: Mike Myers as Dr. Evil, Rob Lowe as Number Two, Seth Green as Scott Evil, and Mindy Sterling as Frau Farbissina. There is also a cameo by Scott Evil’s newborn son, Kyle, whom Dr. Evil insists on calling “Baby Me”.

The ad was directed by Tim Kirby and created in partnership with McCann Worldgroup, according to Ad Age.

This was a continuation of GM’s “Everybody In” campaign, which aimed to make electric vehicles more accessible to American drivers. GM committed to debuting 30 new EV models by the end of 2025. The ad was well-received for its humor and creative use of the Austin Powers franchise to deliver a timely message about EVs and climate change.