PopCorners Brilliantly Spoofs Breaking Bad for Super Bowl

WALTER WHITE: Say. Their. Name.

TUCO: PopCorners! Tight! Tight! Tight!

PopCorners brilliantly spoofs Breaking Bad in a Super Bowl :60, reuniting three members of the series’ cast in a storyline directed by Vince Gilligan, the show’s creator. These days, instead of cooking up meth in their Krystal Ship RV, the crew’s content to chomp away on PopCorners’ snacks instead. 

Gilligan developed the massively satisfying spot with in-house agency D3. Bryan Cranston kills it as Walt, ably supported by Aaron Paul’s Jesse—twitchy as ever!—plus Raymond Cruz as Tuco, always the scene stealer:

“PopCorners’ desire to create a genuine extension of the franchise and a campaign that would really excite Breaking Bad fans is what brought us back,” Cranston says in campaign materials. “Walt would’ve been immediately drawn to the basic ingredients in PopCorners, so ‘Breaking Good’ made perfect sense as an alternate storyline that would’ve been much better for him and Jesse.”

Paul adds: “There’s nothing better than getting to revive characters who mean so much to us, surrounded by so many of our original cast and crew members, for the most exciting sports event of the year.”

If you’re a fan of the iconic 2008-13 series, this is great stuff, a knowing nod to classic TV with character-driven humor at its core. These are the Walt, Jesse and Tuco we love—or love to hate—behaving exactly as we’ve come to expect. The performances never seem compromised, and every joke works in a PopCorners’ context.

Yes, they hit better if you know the show. But even if you’re not a devotee, the stuff’s a hoot that should leave viewers wanting more of Walt and Jesse … and maybe even craving a taste of PopCorners. Any brand chill enough to revive these prime-time badasses with such authentic style merits a product sampling in our book.

Other Super Bowl spoofery includes Michelob’s star-soaked take on Caddyshack, and Rakuten’s Clueless entry with Alicia Silverstone.

An extended cut of the “Breaking Good” spot is forthcoming online, along with elements across TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. PopCorners’ parent Frito-Lay will also hype Doritos during the Big Game with Jack Harlow and Missy Elliot.

CREDITS

Frito Lay North America
CEO FLNA: Steven Williams
Chief Marketing Officer FLNA: Brett O’Brien
VP, Permissible Brands, Rhasheda Boyd
Senior Director Marketing: Melody Macaluso
Senior Manager, Marketing: Christie Clark

Senior Director, Brand Communication: Dan Cohen
Marketing Analyst: Katie O’Donnell
Insights Director: Ryan Dirkmaat 
Sr. Director Media: Amanda Corral
Senior Director TM/Legal: Jeanette Zimmer
Senior Director Corporate Legal: Charlie Boehler  
Associate Manager, Media: Jessica Nealon

In-house Agency: D3
VP Creative and Digital FLNA: Chris Bellinger
Creative Director: Matt Schaffer
Sr. Associate Creative Director: Katheryn Renfroe
Associate Creative Director: Sadie Caparelli
Art Director: Sara Cusumano
Copywriter: Joanna Stubbins
Associate Account Director: Dan Sipes
Sr. Account Executive: Mylena Caldera
Director of Social & Concepting: Kelsey Greer
Sr. Social Strategist: Lauren Kozar
Social Strategist: Ryan Haddox
Producer: Dan Watson

Production Consultant: APR
Senior Advisor, Video/Sustainability: Carol Pock

Talent / IP: UEG
EVP Head of Talent & Influencers: Dina Mallin
EVP, Head of Entertainment: Joe Ames
VP, Talent & Influencers: Lauren Harris

Production: Interrogate 
Director: Vince Gilligan 
Managing Director/Founder: Jeffrey Miller 
EP/Partner: George Meeker 
Line Producer: Julien Lemaitre 
Director of Photography: Paul Donachie 
Production Designer: Denise Pizzini 
1st AD: Angie Meyer 

Post Production: The Den Editorial
Editor: Christjan Jordan
Additional Editor: Pieter Viljoen
Junior Editor: Jake Swartz
Assistant Editor: Laurence Thrush
Executive Producer: Jennifer Mersis
Head of Production: Kristina Thoegersen
Producer: Gigi May

VFX: The Mill 
Creative Director: Matt Fuller
Managing Director: Anastasia Von Rahl
VFX Supervisor: Sarah Marikar
2D Lead Artist: Lindsey Fry
3D Lead Artist: Cinzia Pegorin
Senior Producer: Graham Dunglinson
Senior Producer: Heather Johann

Color: The Mill
Colorist: Paul Yacono
Executive Producer: Krista Staudt
Color Producer: Denise Brown

Audio: JSM Music
CEO/CCO: Joel Simon
VP/Executive Producer: Jeff Fiorello
Senior Producer: Norm Felker
Senior Producer: Andrew Manning
Producer: Sharon Cha
Sound Designer: Seamus Kilmartin
Mix: JSM